Leo: New Species
by Valiant'sLittleSister
Summary: Leo has always been alone. He's always been different. At Mercile, he was beaten because he was different than most of his own species. Far different from humans. Different than everyone. Today, he is alone because his own species fears him and looks at him with pity and disgust. He wants love but knows he can never have it, for who would want an ugly failed experiment with a tail?
1. Chapter 1

Leo paced anxiously around his house. He has been waiting for this day for a long time. His appointment. He hates doctors and has never been the most social person, however, he cannot wait to meet this one.

Ever since he was young in the testing facilities, he has always known he was different. He had broad and defined bone structure, he was much larger than any male, he had thick, corse hair, and most of all, he had a tail. When he was released from the testing facilities he had hoped to meet others like him. His hopes were quickly dashed when he realized that the other New Species were not nearly as different looking as he was. Those that were different were simultaneously insane. Those that were different at the testing facility were brutally beaten and kept in extreme isolation. It made sense considering the fact that he wasn't the _most_ strange looking but still, when a woman was once brought to his cell for breeding, she opted to kill herself instead of submit herself to him. That is when he realized how truly ugly he was. He hated himself.

Suddenly, a loud crash sounded. Leo whirled around and crouched low, letting a snarl slip through his mouth, only to realize that there was no one there. His tail wished back and forth and he realized that his state of agitation caused him to knock over his most prized possession. A box of what humans called, "romance novels". These books are what made him realize why he needed to make an appointment with a doctor. He wanted his monstrous tail removed. He would do anything for it to be gone.

When he stopped contemplating the removal of his tail, he quickly picked up his books and aligned them nicely. Paying particular attention to one with a beautiful woman and perfect man on the cover. The woman had curly brown hair that formed perfect ringlets around her face, gorgeous blue eyes, and quirky freckles plotted along her petite nose. The man was perfect: he had no tail. No scary, wide features. He didn't scare females enough for them to kill themselves.

Leo quickly grasped his tail in a hard grip and gave it a very harsh yank. It caused spikes of pain to shoot up his spine but he didn't care. He wanted it gone. Despite Justice telling him that he could not get it removed, Leo asked Valiant to make an appointment for him in secret in exchange for some of his own land. It placated Valiant since he has a new cub and could use the extra territory. He'd do anything to not be ugly anymore. Do anything for his own kind to not avert their eyes and pretend he didn't exist. Do anything to be like the males on the cover of his favorite books.

He knew that he could care for a female. He has his own small cabin with its own kitchen, living room, and den. He could catch her food every morning, love her every day, and keep her warm every nite. He could make love to her for once and live in peace. He could finally have someone and would never have to be alone again. Leo acknowledged the fact that he is still strange-looking, but despite this, he could read to his female every nite and give her everything she could possibly need. Because females only really need food, water, and somewhere to sleep, right? Or maybe that's wrong...

No matter. He realizes that he must stop entertaining these thoughts and decides that he needs to leave his home now in order to make his appointment. He quickly opens the front door to his den and makes a mad dash through the woods, heading towards the small, gravel road where he knows a golf cart will be waiting for him to drive towards the small medical facility at the north of the compound.


	2. Chapter 2

Doctor Sara Parker looked over the file that she had on the New Species that made an appointment at Reservation. Normally, she would make them wait a while before she flew all the way from Homeland to come here, but she felt that this specific case warranted haste. This male is known for being incredibly aggressive and has never once asked to get checked out by a doctor. From his file, it seemed that even when he needed to get checked out he refused so the fact that he made an appointment for himself is monumental. It also means that something is probably very wrong. The male lives in the Wild Zone and has been mixed with mainly lion DNA. He is approximately 6 feet 6 inches and is more animal than man. Valiant. The mate to Tammy and father to a young boy. She wondered briefly why he would make an appointment but quickly discarded the thought because she recognized that she should just be glad that he did.

Sara is the lead doctor for the New Species now that Slade no longer lets Trisha work all of the time in order to keep her safe from anyone who would want to harm her. Sara doesn't have anyone to worry about her so no one tried to tell her not to take the job as lead doctor. That's fine with her, since she's always been comfortable alone, however, sometimes she does wish that she had someone as loving as Trisha's big male, Slade.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Sara started and almost spilled her coffee but caught it and quickly composed herself. Flame opened the door and peered inside. She has a sneaking suspicion-no, she knows- that Flame has a crush on her because she always catches him checking her out. Not to mention the fact that he constantly compliments her and showers her with unnecessary sexual innuendoes. Sometimes it's nice to hear that someone thinks that she's attractive, but she only thinks of Flame as a friend. But then again, he is one fine male specimen with his tall frame, wide shoulders, beautiful cat-like eyes, and constant shit-eating grin.

"Um, Sara?", Flame says with a an adorably confused look on his face. "Are you okay or do you need your own doctor? You look like you're gonna pass out but that's okay because I know mouth to mouth resuscitation", he purrs with a wink.

Sara softly chucked to herself and responded with, "I'm fine, Slade, and don't worry, I don't need any saving so your skills will have to be used on someone else, somewhere else". She added her own wink to throw him off guard and to gauge his reaction. The facial twitch was rewarded with Flame giving her his own smile and softly shaking his head.

"Sara Bear, I know you want me. If you ever need someone to practice _your_ skills on, I'll happily comply and be your patient. You can have your wicked way with me." He smirked and continued on by saying, "Which brings me to something I've been meaning to tell you, I have something real hard and long that I want you to check out for me-if you know that I mean."

Sara just responded with an eye-roll. She's known Flame for months and this is nothing short of normal for the two of them. She knows he has a crush on her but it's nothing serious. He takes a new female to his bed every night and doesn't take much anything seriously. It's fine by her, her job is stressful and having funny and friendly conversation helps lighten the mood, especially after particularly hard days. Besides, Flame is her personal body guard and helps regulate the flow in and out of the office for her.

"Anyway...", Flame started, "your next patient is here and you're in for a treat with this one".

Sara instantly felt dread pool in her stomach. She tried to shake off the uneasy feeling but to no avail. She knows that Mr. Valiant can be very testy and hopes that he's not in a horrible mood when she treats him. From his file, she knows that he is large enough to practically eat her for dinner. Or as a snack considering the fact that she is barely five feet tall.

"Okay." she shakily said and quickly took a deep, shaky breath to calm her nerves. "Let mr. Valiant in to room two and I'll be there in a minute."

Flame suddenly smiles wide, making his cat eyes crinkle at the corners and said, "Sure thing, Sara Bear, I'll let _Mr. Valiant_ into room two and tell him to wait there".

Then, Flame closed the door and she heard his foot steps as he walked away. Briefly, she heard soft words spoken and she assumed that Flame was telling the other New Species male what room to go to. She really hoped that Valiant was no longer in a bad mood and wouldn't try to eat her when she ran basic tests like checking his heart rate and taking blood.

Sara found it odd that Flame stressed the other New Specie's name but chalked it up to the fact that New Species didn't always have a perfect grasp on the intricacies of language. In fact, there are plenty of humans who weren't raised in insolation and tortured daily who don't have a great grasp on proper vernacular. New Species actually do incredibly well. _Take that you racist pricks,_ Sara curses in her head.

She briefly takes another glance over Mr. Valiant's file again and settles her hands on the desk in front of her. She braced her arms and slightly stretched her back and neck trying to find some relief from the tension in her body. _I can do this_ , she chanted to herself. _I can treat him. They can smell fear and stop being such a weak bitch and just go and meet your patient. It'll be fine._

Her pep talk failed to settle her nerves but she persevered and straightened from the desk. She grabbed his file and started making her way out of her office and into the hallway. She glanced around for Flame and spotted him sitting about ten feet from her in the weighting room. He was smirking to himself and she had to admit that it made him look very attractive. All New Species were attractive but there is something enticing about a dangerous male who is sure and confident in his abilities. He glanced up and straightened from his position of a chair tipped back on two legs with his own crossed and settled onto of the coffee table.

"Little Bear, hurry up and get to your patient before _Valiant_ gets mad", he taunted with a huge smile splayed across his face and a raised eyebrow.

Sara frowned at him but heeded his words and continued her walk down the hallway. Room ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, and three all passed much too quickly. Suddenly, and too quickly for her liking, room two was in front of her. She took another calming breath and tried to appear composed and confident but she kew it wouldn't fool a feline species. Especially not one as animal-like as Valiant. They can smell fear. Regardless, she tried her best and opened the heavy door with a slow but measured movement, hoping not to startle the male and set him into a rage.

She didn't look at the male directly but saw a huge and muscular form out of the corner of her eye. She turned her back to him and shut the door calmly so that it did not slam into place. Then, she turned around and raised her eyes to the male. Suddenly, she was all too aware that this male was certainly _not_ the infamous Mr. Valiant.


	3. Chapter 3

Leo sat in the weighting room and felt like a caged animal. _That's because I am an animal_ , Leo thought to himself. The instant he walked in, a broad, but smaller male than himself, started chuckling to himself and walked into another room. When the male opened the door, the most delectable and soothing scent wafted into the room. He instantly realized it was a human female and she smelled like the raging waters of a river after a downpour and wildflowers at the beginning of their bloom. Sweet. Mouth-watering. Addictive. Mine.

 _Wait_ , he thought, _Mine? No. Not mine._ He shook his head, trying to dispel the thought and focussed on his surroundings. He might feel trapped and claustrophobic but that was most likely because he was always outside and rarely, if ever, wore clothing. The walls and ceilings made him feel like he was in cage and his pants felt tight, especially over his groin. His woman's scent made his cock swell and made his pants even tighter than they already were. His tail swished back in forth in happiness and anticipation. He grabbed it at the top and tried to settle it down. It was to no avail. Even though he didn't want to admit it, his body knew that his mate was near.

Leo heard a quiet conversation and turned his head towards the sound of tinkling bells. It reminded him of the fairies he was told about in stories as a child. His mate's voice. It was lovely beyond imagine. He was so entranced in his mate that he couldn't even make out the words.

The it hit him, this male- a male without a tail- is talking to his mate. Anger and rage settled within him. _His. His mate!_ He truly no longer cared about his tail or anything else. He wanted her.

He moved to the Wild Zone because he had a hard time staying calm around others. He was territorial, aggressive, huge, and possessive. Moving away and living in isolation has helped calm the beast inside of him but now that his mate is near, his beast rages again. He was having a particularly good month actually. He only got into two fights and he restrained himself from maiming anyone. But now… Now he's not so sure.

He is snapped out of his thoughts by the male coming back towards him. The male is no longer at ease. The other New Species can scent the rage coming off of him and knows to be cautious. The male is tall, around 6'3, but not nearly as tall as himself. He has shoulder length brown hair and a striking face. It is obvious by his eyes, but mostly his scent, that the male is feline but definitely of a smaller species than himself. Perhaps mountain lion? It matters not. All that Leo knows is that the male is not a competition physically, but in terms of looks, definitely.

He suddenly feels sadness at the fact that this male is someone his mate deserves. Someone who matches the beauty that he knows she possess, even though he has yet to see her.

The other male has been speaking. Leo decides that he should probably be listening into what he is saying. He catches, "...Flame. Dr. Sara will be with you in a moment. In the meantime, please go to room two and sit down".

Leo nods his head and shoots the smaller male a glare that causes him to flinch. Leo knows he is terrifying. He looks more animal than man and scares even some of the most brave New Species.

He decides to heed the male- Flame's?- words and strides over to room two. When he gets there, he opens the door and peers inside. It is sterile smelling but the decor is much more warm and inviting than expected. The walls are a soft brown and there are calming pictures of the wilderness hung up. There are two huge windows facing the woods and it calms him to know that it would be easy for him to escape back to his home if need be.

Leo is anxious to see his mate. He knows he is ugly and unworthy but hopes that she will realize that he can provide for her and love her. It matters not that she is a doctor. If he can get over that fact after years of torture and abuse, perhaps she can get over the fact that he is unsightly and terrifying.

There is a sharp clicking sound and his heart jumps into his throat. His mate is coming in. He gets his first sight of her and he almost groans aloud. His mate is beautiful. She is tiny and that is perfect because it means that she needs even more protecting. He will be a perfect mate for her. She has short blonde hair and a heart shaped face. Her eyes are brown and she has freckles splattered across her nose like pain droplets. He is briefly worried that when they make love and he claims her, that he will hurt her because of his size. How can someone o small take his huge cock? Never mind. He will be as gentle as possible and if he pains her even a little, he will only pleasure her with his mouth. _Yes_ , he thinks, _she is mine and I would never hurt her_.

His cock is truly painfully hard from her scent and appearance but when she turns around again after closing the door, she freezes. His mate, his Sara, stares at his with wide eyes and he quickly steps forward to calm her. Someone is scaring his mate and he will not stand for it. It must be the male outside! That male will die for scaring his Sara.

He strides to her and pulls her tight against his body. Her warmth seeps into his skin and he purrs, burying his face into her hair. His straining and engorged cock presses tighly against her stomach and he lightly thrusts into it, unable to help himself. He groans and grinds against her slightly, reveling in the fact that he holds his mate in his arms and is surrounded by her scent. His mate. His love. His Sara.

He scents fear and rips his head from her hair, roaring loudly. No one will scare his mate! No one! He grasps her tighter against him and picks her up into his arms. He tucks her head against his neck and protects the back of her head with his large hand. She is so small compared to him, his Sara. She starts whimpering and he lets out a snarl. He will protect her.

All of the sudden, the door to the room bursts open and that male staggers in.

Flame screams, "Put her down, now!". And tries to make a grab for his Sara. Tries to take his mate out of his arms.

"Mine!", Leo roars and enjoys the look of pure terror that crosses the smaller male's face. _This will be easy_ , he thinks. _This male is no match for me. He will not come any closer to my mate._ Swiftly, he lets go of Sara's head and uses his freed hand to grab the male by the neck and throw his against the wall. The male's head connects against it with a sickening thud and he is out cold.

Sara starts struggling and Leo pushes her head back to his neck and grabs her tighter. He purrs to her in a gruff voice, "My mate"

Leo starts running out of the room and toward the exit. Luckily, they were the only ones in the facility so it is a straight shot to the door. When he makes it outside, another wave of fear permeates from Sara and Leo's anger insanity notches up even higher. He roars again, louder this time, and runs faster. Tucking Sara's head even closer to his neck.

At this point, he has made it into the woods and he finds the path that will take him to his house the fastest. The ground is dry and sturdy, thanks to the lack of rain recently, and makes it easy for him to push off of against and gain speed quickly while running. Unfortunately the fastest route is blocked by territories occupied by other Wild Zone residents and he must avoid those. He can take all of those males but it would put his Sara at risk and he would never do that. Not to mention the fact that if he encounters one of them, they will slow him down from reaching his home with his mate. Instead, he takes the safest route and starts sprinting toward his home. His mate is whimpering into his neck and shaking in fear so he purrs into her ear, trying to calm her and wants to reassure her with his words and let her know that she is safe with him, but is incapable of forming words at the moment. He is not much of a talker to begin with and struggles with forcing words out from between his lips because he was beaten every time he uttered a sound in the testing facility. He has spoken more to his mate this day than he has spoken in the previous weeks combined. With her fear so blatant, he cannot grab control of his mental processes enough to speak to her. To calm her.

No matter, he is now within his territory and he picks up his speed even more to make it to his home. He is so close. So close to complete safety for his mate. He shifts her weight in his arms again and marvels at her tiny size. He will feed her when they get to his home. Just meat. He will make her bigger and more sturdy so that she can take his cock.

Mmmmm…. He thinks while catching another whiff of her scent. It is marred with fear but still absolutely delectable. His cock, which had returned to normal while he was enraged, strains against his jeans again at her scent. Yes… lots and lots of meat for her.

His tail, which he had paid no mind to up until this point, curls around his mate protectively and lays against her face, stroking it. Remarkably, it seems to calm her fear scent and he curiously catches a whiff of her need. _No, that cannot be right_ , he thinks. But the stroking of his tail also seems to snap her out of her panic.

Suddenly, absolutely indescribable pleasure spears down his spine and straight to his cock. He almost drops his beautiful and delicate mate at the feel of her teeth trying to sink into his neck. He knows that her small, rounded teeth are not sharp enough to break his skin but he pushes her head closer to his throat anyway, hoping for the feel of her complete mating bite. If she cannot do it, he will help her later on by using his claws first. Her attempt, however fills him with joy. This means that his mate accepts him! His heart feels as full as his cock and he purrs into her ear over and over again, expressing his pleasure and love without words. He does. He loves his mate. His kind only needs to know their mate for a short time before they imprint on them. She is his and he loves her. She will be his forever.

At this point, they have made it to his house and he is getting ready to set her into the middle of his bed. He feels accomplished at the fact that he was able to provide a structure of a home for her. A nest. She will make a nest, his mate, and create a true home for their coupling.

He lays her down and starts stroking her skin. She is soft, delicate. He will be careful. She still has lingering fear scent on her and he once again wishes that he could have gone back and killed that male for terrifying his mate. He will. He will go back. But first, he must give his mate pleasure and complete their mating bond.

He rips the long white covering from her body and strips her pants and shirt from her. He kisses down her neck, enjoying the silky softness, and makes his way down to the triangle covering over her sex. He does not understand the point of it, decides she will not wear them around him, and nuzzles her covered sex. Her fear scent is mostly gone now and her need is starting to rise. He is glad that his mate does not hate his appearance or if she does, she can still get pleasure from him. His heart is almost ready to burst with love at this revelation. Maybe he is worthy of his mate if she gives him her need scent.

He continues to nuzzle her and lick through her covering until he can tell that she is soaked with her need. With her mating juices. Then, he carefully moves them to the side and sticks his tongue into her slit. Her taste explodes into his mouth and he faintly heard her moaning. He feels her writhe against his tongue and grasp his hair. His tail reaches up to stroke her face and express his love without words and she nuzzles against it, moaning.

His cock is so hard that he has to release it from his pants. He does not want to take his tail from her since she seems to like it and is now grasping and stroking it, sending volts of pleasure straight to his cock. He would have to take his tail from her in order to take off his pants, but he could never take something from her that she enjoys, so he doesn't. Instead, he reaches down and pops the button on the top of his jeans and lowers the zipper. His cock springs free and his mate gaps loudly, drawing his attention. Her form is writhing, sweaty, and she looks like a goddess spread across his bed. Her stunning gaze is locked on his cock and she reaches down seeming to want to touch it. He would give anything to his mate but he knows that if her tiny, soft hands touch it, he will explode. Instead, he kneels onto the bed with his hips cradled within her and starts sliding his cock in between her folds.

Her head falls back and she starts to gasp and buck her hips wantonly. The feel of her hot, wet sex against his straining shaft is almost too much to bear. He is reminded of his romance novels and regrets the fact that he did not finish his female off and let her reach the peak of her need before he mated with her, but he decides he will do it infinite times to make up for the loss of this first one.

He looks into her eyes for permission and they are glazed with lust. She moans and says, "Please. Please.", and Leo roars in triumph. She wants him! She needs him!

He grasps his shaft, instantly missing the contact of their sexes, lines himself up to her entrance and slowly pushes in. The feeling is indescribable and they both gasp in disbelief. This is his first time and he savors the fact that it is with his mate.

She feels like a hot glove around him and he very slowly pushes in. He has to restrain himself much in order to not hurt her. Suddenly, he gasps and throws his head up, looking into her eyes. He feels a barrier. This is her first time. She is wholly his! He roars again and stops all movement, leaning down to her ear to purr over and over again, "Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine".

A pain explodes on the back of his head. He pulls himself free of her angelic form and curls protectively around her, crushing her body toward his chest. His vision starts to turn black around the edges and he feels himself start to slump forward. Then, all he hears is his mate's shriek. _NO!,_ he thinks. And suddenly, everything goes dark and he slips into nothingness.


	4. Chapter 4

Sara had no idea what was going on. On second a huge New Species was gently and sweetly making love to her and the next second, he was withdrawing from her and gripping her against his chest. Now his weight was crushing her and she is unable to breathe. All 260 pounds of him slumped forward and crushed her against the bed. She tries to draw in a breathe in her panic but is unable to and starts to freak out.

The weight of the male is pulled off of her and several NSO officers try and help her. She recognizes Tiger and he says, "Dr. Sara? Dr. Sara? Are you okay?"

All she could focus on was the New Species being handcuffed. She starts screaming. "No! No! Stop!", but the officers won't listen to her. "Stop!", she screams to no avail.

All of her screaming seems to start to rouse her male and she starts to fight the officers. "MIne! Mine! MIne!", he roars. He looks insane with blood dripping onto his forehead and his pants half down with his arousal showing. He breaks from the officer's hold and launches for her again, pulling her to his chest. He turns his back against the males and shoves her into a corner, sliding to the floor and forming a protective ball around her. "Mine", he growls pulling her closer, sniffing her nair. He buries his face closer to her throat and slowly starts to nip at it. When she gives him more access he purrs into her ear and very softly purrs, "Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine".

"Yes", she assures, "Yours".

Tiger clears his throat and the huge male holding Sara throws his head back and roars again. TIger and all of the other NSO officers take multiple steps back. Tiger orders the males away and studies the couple on the floor. He takes note that the behavior being exhibited is like every other mated couple he's ever met. Including his own mating.

Sara starts to whimper from all of the excitement and the embarrassment of being naked and caught in the middle of making love. She is overwhelmed and upset that everything was ruined. At first she was afraid of the male, but then she noticed how sweetly he hold her and how he just wanted to please her and she melted for him. She's a doctor and now that she has been caught with a patient, she is sure to be fired.

Tears slip out of Sara's eyes and a sobb catches in her throat. When her male hears this, his head moves from her neck and he nuzzles his face against hers in an obvious effort to console her. His purr takes on a slight questioning sound and his tail snakes around her waist in a tight grasp. When she started to sob harder, her male lets out a whine and shoves her head into the space between his shoulder and his neck. He bends down and rubs his face against her hair, really trying his hardest.

Sara hears a violent curse sound behind her and she looks up to see Tiger still there. She blushes and lowers her head to her male's chest.

The next thing sarah knew, the sound of a gun went off twice and her male curled even more around her, roaring in rage.

"MINE!", he roared, "MINE!".

His grip slowly loosened and he once again slumped against her, out cold.

Sara started hyperventilating once more. Her breath coming in and out much too fast, causing her brain to go fuzzy. The last thing she remembered was the heavy weight of her male against her and the sounds of pounding footsteps.

*Sorry for the short chapter, guys. This is kind of just a rehash and transition into the next piece of drama that needs to happen in order for the fact that Leo technically kidnapped her to be resolved. After that, then we can get into the two actually learning more about each other and having some alone time without everyone getting in the way. Enjoy!*


	5. Chapter 5

Part 1

When Leo came to his senses, the first thing that he noticed was the fact that he was lying on his back on a damp floor. The room is cold and dim, almost void of any light. If it weren't for his feline sight he would be unable to see in the room. There were no windows in this structure. By the smell of it, the dampness, he decided that most likely is being held in a basement. The walls around him were an ugly, dull grey of concrete and brick. There was a thick metal door with only a handle. He was trapped. Why?

He blinked once, twice, and just as he was about to blink again, a startling conclusion struck him. His mate is not by his side. She was taken from him.

He roared.

Leo jumped to his feet and threw his head back, snarling the words, "MINE! MY MATE!". He knew that having a mental breakdown would not help him but he couldn't seem to grasp onto any sensible thoughts. All he could feel was all-consuming panic and rage.

"Sara?", he roared again, hoping, praying that she would call out to him. That she could at least sooth the best within him that feared the worst. That she was dead, taken, or worse.

When there was no answer he threw himself to his knees, ignoring the stinging pain, and let out a gut-wrenching scream. He balled up his fists, his claws digging in deep and painful into his hands, and pounded them against the concrete floor.

His entire body felt like it was on fire, burning tremendously. The beast within him raged at the loss of his mate. At not holding her delicate form against his own. At not seeing her beauty. At not hearing her call to him. At not smelling her entrancing scent. At her absence.

Leo cannot remember the last time that he felt so helpless. Even when he was at Mercile and tortured every day because he was different, he never felt so without hope. Even when he only saw his own species when he was forced to fight them to the death in training he never felt so alone. His heart felt as though it had been ripped from his chest and stomped on. Where was his mate? Where was his Sara? His little one.

There was no consoling him. He felt himself lose what little sanity he had left and slipped into madness.

For the next several hours that he was conscious, all that was heard by the guards posted outside was a collection of painful sobs and a continuous loop of the phrase, "My Sara!" roared in insanity until finally, all was silent. All was silent because the proud male banged his head against the wall until he was unconscious and bloody. No one came to save him.

Part 2

The first thing that Lauren heard were the sounds of deep hushed words from two males. She was unable to make out what they were saying, her head was swimming too much. She recognized the voice of Flame but did not know the other male.

She groaned. Her head hurt like a bitch and her chest felt constricted. She took a deep breath through her nose and tried to clear her thoughts. _What happened_ , she wondered.

She knew that something wasn't right. She felt _wrong_ , like she was missing something. What the hell was going on?

She peeled her eyes open and winced as the light hit her eyes. _Great,_ she thought. _Another thing that hurts. This must be my lucky day._

"Jesus Christ", she croaked, forcing her eyes open once again. She sensed someone moving closer to her and she turned her head to see who it was. All she saw was a grey shirt stretched over taught muscles so she moved her gaze up and caught Tiger's eyes. He looked warry and his mouth was pressed in a tight line.

There was another movement behind him so Sara flicked her gaze to the side and she saw Flame's enraged expression. His eyebrows were drawn over his beautiful cat-like eyes and he was breathing hard, his canines poking out of his slightly parted mouth.

"What is going on?", Sara asked desperately wanting to figure out why the two species were angry and how she ended up in the hospital.

Tiger growled slightly and Flame stomped to her side and sat down next to her bed. He still looked angry but now there was a softer look in his eyes. "You don't remember what happened, Sara Bear?".

"Um, do you think I'd really be asking if I remembered?", she retorted trying to add humor to her voice to lighten the mood when really she just wanted to lay down and sleep to get rid of the aches and pains in her body.

Tiger took a deep breath and responded for him, "A male from the Wild Zone came to you for an appointment last week and used another's name to gain entrance into the facility. Justice had forbidden him from making an appointment because he has been wanting his tail removed so that he seemed more normal and more attractive. He has been lonely and wants a mate but his extra animal traits scare even out more aggressive females. He used another's name to gain entrance and when he got here, he attacked Flame and stole you. We think that he scented you and decided that you were to be his mate. He carried you all the way back to his home in the Wild Zone and the bastard tried to force mate you. We got to you in time before he could do any real damage.", Tiger took another deep breath before continuing carefully on with the story. "Personally, I don't think that he was trying to hurt you but some of the residents are a little off. When we got there, we were able to drug him but somehow he shook off the tranquilizer when he heard you scream and tried to shield you with him body. He's one big mother fucker and we knew we wouldn't be able to get you out of his grasp without losing our throats so we tranqued him again. That seemed to knock him out but unfortunately the male is fucking huge and crushd you when he slumped down. It caused you to start to suffocate and you ended up hitting your head. You've been in here ever since". Tiger looked her in the eyes and a grim look was plastered on his face. "Don't worry. The male has been taken care of", he assured.

Flame picked up her hand and said, "I'm trying to petition Justice to kill him. He tried to force mate you and that means he is crazy and has no regard even for a tiny female like you. I want him gone."

Sara looked at both men in horror and yanked her hand back from Flame's grasp. _Oh my God,_ she thought. _OH. MY. GOD!_ "I've been out for a week?". She looked to Tiger with a frightened look on her face. _Did this really happen to me? This can't be real. I'd remember that kind of thing, wouldn't I?_

"You think that the male didn't try to hurt me? That he was just lonely and thought of me as his mate?", she asked in a tiny voice.

"Yes. We think that he scent imprinted on you and decided that you were his. We don't hurt those that are ours but it wouldn't be the first time that a Wild Zone resident tried to take a female without her agreeing to it.", Tiger replied with trepidation in his voice. "The Wild Zone residents are more animal than man and therefore don't always get why they can't steal a female. Most of our makes are kept in line by the leaders of the Wild Zone and therefore don't go after them. Unfortunately, the one that took you is one of those leaders and had no one to reason with him".

He didn't actually hurt you so I don't think that he should be put to death", Tiger shot a sharp glare at Flame, "and I think that he needs to just be watched more and punished, but because Flame petitioned Justice, the male has been held in our cells until a decision can be made".

Sara shook her head trying to figure everything out. This is so much information. Way too much for her to process at once. She's been out for a week, a male tried to mate her, she's in the hospital after being crushed, and now she finds out that this male might get put to death. _When did my life become so complicated?_ She groaned inwardly and rubbed a hand down her face.

"Did you talk to the male? Did you ask him why he kidnapped me?", she questioned Tiger.

Tiger looked at her sadly and said, "When I went to question him I had just visited you and I think he scented you on me and he freaked out. He started snarling your name and banging his head against the wall again. He pulled at the restraints and bloodied his wrists and ankles. When he realized that he couldn't get out, he started whimpering 'mine' with tears rolling down his cheeks.", Tiger looked at her with wide eyes and continued, "I have seen a lot of horrible and fucked-up things but I have never seen something so heartbreaking. No one has been in his cell since. He won't eat. Every time the door opens a repeat happens and he has to be sedated in order to get him to stop banging his head against the wall."

 _Leo_. The name suddenly came to her and she decided what she needs to do. She starts to get up from the bed. Flame instantly plants a large hand in the middle of her chest and pushes her back down against the pillows. "No", he growls at her, getting in her face.

Sara's face screwed up in anger as she felt her adrenaline start to kick in. "Excuse me?", she asks not really expecting an answer. "I want to go see this male. I don't know why, but I feel like I know him. After hearing how he is acting, I don't think he'll hurt me. Let. Me. Go", she tells him.

Tiger suddenly growls at Flame and orders him to leave. Sara concentrated on Tiger and faintly noticed Flame jump up from the bed, stomp to the door, open it, and then slam it loudy behind him. She winced at the sound and Flame's obvious anger.

Once Tiger was certain that Flame had left the building, he looked at Sara and said, "Alright. I'll bring Doc Trisha in here to clear you and then I'll bring you to the holding cells to see him. Don't be alarmed at his appearance. If he so much as tries to go after you, we will tranquilize his ass. We don't want him put to death so maybe him seeing you will calm him enough so that Justice won't have to order his death. He's been delaying the decision until you woke up so that you would have a say."

Sara looks him in the eyes and for the first time notices some sadness in their depths. "Okay", she says. She looks down at her attire and notices that she is only wearing a thin paper gown and a blanket. She blushes and looks away from Tiger, "Can you get me some clothes? I want to go over as soon as possible and for some reason I have a feeling that it wouldn't be the best idea to leave here practically naked".


	6. Chapter 6

Leo lays sagged against his restraints after another mental breakdown. A couple of days ago the NSO officers stopped bringing food into his cell because he refused to eat it or drink and the food that was left started to go bad sitting in the damp cell.

He has been drugged multiple times today because his breakdowns have been increasing in both severity and number as time passes without his mate. He is going insane. He has heard the guards and the doctor that have stopped by say that his hallucinations are a result of a lack of nutrients and severe dehydration but he knows better. Leo knows that it is because he is without her. His Sara. His mate. _Mine,_ he thinks. _My mate._

Every so often he sees her in his cell. He sees her beautiful hair and tiny body. She is always too far away for him to reach. He tries to get away from the chains and constantly reaches for her. She calls his name, scared, and he tries with more fever to get to her.

 _She's scared_ , he thinks, _she's always scared. Must protect_. "My mate!", he roars, "Sara! Sara! Mine!". Everytime he roars for her, she goes farther away. Her scent disappears. Her angelic voice fades.

Everytime, he tries to break hold of the cold metal caging him against the wall. Everytime, he almost gets to her. Everytime, he is drugged and she leaves him. Gone forever. _Everytime she leaves, she never comes back_ , he thinks.

He knows that she isn't actually there. He knows they are hallucinations but his beast did not. His beast consumes him when he starts to see his mate.

Suddenly he hears the sound of a distant door opening and multiple footsteps. He roars, warning them away. _These species took mine away. They are the enemy. Mine._

He suddenly goes silent at the sound of a tinkling voice. A beautiful, angelic voice. _Miiiiiiiinnnnee_ , his beast purrs. _Miiiiiinnneeee._ That is when her scent hit him. His! His mate is near!

He starts struggling against the manacles and throws his entire weight against them. "MINE", he roars. A door opens and suddenly his mate is standing there. It is different this time. His hallucination. She is closer and she doesn't look like she misses him, she looks at him in fear. He will kill anything, anyone that scares his mate.

Her mouth-watering scent becomes bathed in fear and Leo redoubles his efforts at breaking the chain's holds. He feels his skin tear but it matters not. His mate is scared. She is cowering from something.

He wildly looks around, completely prepared to attack and kill anything that is causing her fear scent.

Nothing.

There is nothing in the room with them.

Leo is confused. His beast is confused. He whips his head back toward his mate in an effort to figure out why she is scared.

Now she is huddled against the corner staring at _him_ in horror. Her mouth open in a silent scream with nothing escaping.

 _No. Oh, no. Not him. His Sara cannot be afraid of him._ Leo's mind blanks. His body feels cold and he stops struggling. His breath, which was once coming out in fast, hard exhales, now seases in his chest. It constricts making it painful. His heart feels unimaginable pain. His gut no longer feels empty, void. Now it feels as though a knife made of ice cut into his viscera and twisted.

He howls is agony. He scared his mate. He did. The one was is meant to protect her forever.

Leo goes slack against his bonds and falls to the floor.

Tears coat his face as his mind comprehends how his mate sees him. A _monster._ He hates himself. _This is what I am_ , he berates himself _, I am a monster. Who could ever love a freak with a tail? Not my Sara._

He is now glad that he refused to eat. It will make his death come that much faster. _NO_ , he thinks. _Who would protect her then? Who would protect my mate from all that scare and frighten her? From all that attempt and wish to do her harm? From other males? Not me,_ he realizes, _I am the one that scares her. Me._

True heartbreak tears through him. He wishes he weren't bound so that he could tear it from his chest and throw it away _. It is my mates anyway, I have no claim over it,_ he reasons with himself.

In his despair he did not realize that Sara moved closer to him. He did not notice until her hand touches his broad cheek bone. The pads of her soft fingers touch the wetness coating his cheeks and a quick breath is drawn in.

"Oh my God", his Sara says. "Leo? Why do you cry?"

True horror encompasses her voice and Leo cannot even comprehend her words. He is to overcome by the beauty and elegance that is her voice.

 _She touches my skin now. After I scared her. She is close to me. She talks to me, my mate. Mine,_ his mind purrs.

He feels his chest start to vibrate with the calming sound hoping to make his mate touch him more. Make her want to be near him. To sooth her. To make her feel safe.

 _Come to me_ , he thinks. _Come to my arms._ He aches with everything in him to be able to hold her in his arms. He'd do anything. Repent for all of his sins. He is not above begging if it would let him have her.

He hears her tinkling voice again, "Leo? I don't really remember you. Tiger told me that you were at the office and that you kidnapped me. Something happened, I got hurt, and now we are here. What happened?"

He wanted to growl at hearing that another male spoke to her and that she was hurt. His heart is pained by the fact that she does not remember him and that she does not remember their shared pleasure, their shared need, but he knows that this is good. That means that she won't remember that he did not first pleasure her to completion with his mouth before he attempted to take her.

 _This is good, now I can show her how good of a male I am._

The thought of their shared pleasure makes his cock swell with need. His purr turns deeper and more sultry in an effort to make her mating scent come out.

"Mine", he purrs, "Miiiiiiinnneeeee".

His beautiful Sara blushes a rosy pink color. It makes her even more stunning. He does not scent her mating need but decides that this is okay. He will make her have it soon.

He notices her gaze down on his lap. His eyes too are drawn down to where she looks and he notices that he is not wearing any clothes. He forgot that he was not wearing any because they were soaked in his blood but dismissed the unnecessary acknowledgement. His mate was looking at his bare cock. His long, hard, and painful arousal.

Her gaze made it twitch, wanting to be closer to her. _Me too,_ he thought to himself.

Her need started to permeate the air and she coughed slightly, tryin to clear the tension in her throat. He purred her name, "Sarraaaaaa", and her needing scent increased.

Leo needed his mate so much that he almost combusted right then and there. His mate needs him. Her needing scent is strong and needs his hard cock. He groaned and closed his eyes.

He tried reasoning with himself. _I am chained to a wall and covered in my own blood. My mate was scared of me just minutes ago. I cannot take her here._

His beast disagreed, _yessssssss… you can. Take ours. My mate. Miiiineee._

While consumed in his thoughts and trying to rein in his arousal, he failed to notice his mate getting up away from him. It wasn't until he heard another male's name on her tongue that he snapped out of it.

His eyes opened in a flash and he growled low. His arousal retreated and his blood rushed to his muscles. He jumped to his feet and strained against the chains.

"Sara", he roared, "Come here."

She turned her head and he saw slight trepidation in her gaze. He softened his voice and repeated, "Come here", in a coaxing purr, hoping that the plea caressed her ears and made her comply.

It did. She walked closer to him and fixated her gaze on his restraints. She reached out and softly touched his wrists. He wanted to flinch at the pain but would never make her think that her touch was unwelcome on his skin so he held himself still. Leo noticed alarm in her gaze as though she hadn't noticed his blood before and calmly said the other male's name again.

"Tiger, can you release him?"

Leo growled softly at her, disliking the fact that she said another male's name but when she looked at him in disapproval he cut off the growl. He nuzzled his face into the nape of her neck wanting to smell her needing scent again and just wanting to be as close to her as possible.

He did not scent her needing scent anymore but it was of no consequence considering the fact that she was so close to him. His, his mind purred. He agreed he agreed with it and let his own rumbling purr slip from his chest.

Everything was perfect for one beautiful but fleeting moment until he heard the door open and scented another male entering the room.


	7. Chapter 7

Sara stared at the huge New Species in front of her in horror. This fine, proud male was reduced to a thin, mangy, and wild version of himself. It hurt her heart to look at him. She can't remember him but somehow she still recognized the beautiful gold of his eyes and his strong, if not slightly strange, features.

This male, Leo, terrifies her and she is afraid that she will die at his hands. _I thought Tiger said I would be safe? That he wouldn't hurt me,_ she thought to herself. Obviously both of their judgements were skewed and now she will pay the price for it.

 _I hope my death will be quick_ , she prays in her mind.

A loud roar rips through the entire room. Leo is pulling at his restraints with all of his strength. Sara is momentarily taken aback by how even his diminished muscles were huge and flexed with all of his might. _Oh my God_ , she thinks, _he's going to get free._

The hideous groan of metal bending sounds and she takes shaky steps back, breath stilling in her lungs.

She watches in horror as the bolts attaching his restraints to the wall are ripped out. The thick chains fly forward and he lunges at Tiger.

"Fuck!", Tiger growls.

Tiger is a big New Species and very strong but they both know that he is no match for the wild lion attacking him. Leo knows this too.

A scream tears from Sara's throat as she watches this take place. She is no longer in control of her mental faculties and has no idea what she is doing as her hands fly to her face and her nails rake down it, leaving bloody tracks there. She feels no pain though, just numbness as her nails continually drag down her cheeks.

The large lion in front of her completely stops what it is doing and tilts its head back, lifting its nose in the air. From behind the species, Sara can see its lion's mane and the top of its face pointed upwards. The nostrils on the wide, flat nose flare for a long second and a roar is ripped from his throat.

This time she is frozen in fear and falls to her knees, her legs too shaky and weak to hold up her weight anymore. Her vision starts to go blurry-from tears or out of faintness, she is not sure-and her head begins to spin.

A moan escapes her and she wishes she were more in control of herself in order to remain silent but this is not the case.

The species takes one look at her and roars again, sounding pained. Sara cannot figure out why this lion man would be in pain but she cannot hold onto the thought long enough to contemplate it. She begins to feel bile bubble its way up her throat and she gags slightly.

 _This is how I am going to die. Die. Die. Oh My God_ , she whimpers in her head, starting to feel the pain from the grooves that she created on her face.

Her vision goes grey and she loses the precarious balance she had while on her knees and her upper body slamms to the floor.

Within seconds, warm hands grab onto her and she is pulled onto a hard body. The stabbing coldness of her body dissipates as the one against hers feels like a heater.

Her brain is foggy and the pain of her wounds and the recent events causes her to be unable to concentrate on any thought except feeling better. This body against her makes her feel better.

A slight growl rumbles through the chest she is pressed against and shs startles, too terrified to do much but whimper almost silently. At the sound of her whimper, the growl immediately cuts off to be replaced by a soothing purr. The purr starts all the way in the belly of the person holding her and spreads up to his chest where it is released in a calming rumble from his throat.

The sound causes her to try and burrow her head into the thick neck of the male but a large paw stops her. She fights it slightly, trying to get closer to the source of the sound but is no match for the strength of the male. The male pulls her head away from his chest slightly and runs his nose along her hair, letting out an even more deep and rich purr.

Sara sighs contentedly and licks her lips, tasting blood. A tear escapes from her eye and she realizes that the lion male must have hurt her. It must have driven its claws down the length of her face in an effort to get a taste of her blood. _That's what lions do on nature documentaries_ , a thought popped into her head. _At least this male saved me from him. My savior._

Her musings were interrupted by the feel of a rough but soft tongue dragging down the side of her face. She shook her head, trying to dislodge the tongue from her face but her head was still being cradled in a large hand and she was unable to move but a millimeter.

The feeling was painful at first, the cuts on her skin reacting to the tender touch as though it were fire, but then it began to feel soothing. The purr continued to pour out of the male's chest and the body surrounding hers tightened against her. She had never felt more safe in that moment.

The other large hand of her savior stroked down her hair and onto her back. She was further calmed by this and began to feel sleepy. It reminded her of her childhood when her mother would lull her to sleep by doing the same thing. She would have a warm blanket wrapped around her and a children's story would be told to her, As she became more tired, the words would meld into an incoherent dancing of waves.

That is exactly what was happening now. The species lovingly cradling her was lulling her to sleep with a new rendering of her childhood.

"Mine", a deep voice purred, and Sara briefly recognized the voice but was too tired to pinpoint where she knew it from. All she knew was that she was safe and loved.

Yours, she confirmed in her head, and maybe outloud but she could not be sure. With that confirmation, she slipped into sleep and let the rumbling waves of purrs deliver her into dreams of her savior.

Continued:

Leo looked down at his sleeping mate with a confusing mixture of pain and love in his heart. One made him feel complete and as though his happiness were impenetrable, and the other made him feel as though he were being dragged into hell.

Now that he is sane, he knows what he must do.

He has to let his delicate and beautiful mate go.

He was trying to protect her but his actions caused her to harm herself. He looked at the now cleaned, but still bloody, grooves that she marred her skin with. _My fault_ , he shamed himself.

He tried to be her protector but now he knows that she needed protecting from him. His heart felt as though it were being stabbed with ice but he tried to ignore it. The only way for him to protect her was for him to leave her. For him to never see her beautiful face again.

He felt a tear slip down his face and he ground his teeth together. It is not about him. It is about her. He must protect her at any cost.

At this, he sets her down on the floor and has to tear his hands away from her, in fear that if he didn't do so in that moment, he never would.

He glanced at her stunning face and couldn't focus on it through the blurriness of his vision. _Perhaps that is good_ , his mind reasoned, _if we know her less then we might miss her less._ He knew this wasn't rue but he tried to fool himself anyway. He had to leave. His beat roared at the thought but even he knew that they would only continue to cause their mate harm if they stayed with her.

He leaned down against her and placed his nose against her throat, breathing in deeply, trying to commit her scent to memory so that he could have it always. Or at least s long as he lived.

Before he straightened, he placed a gentle and shaky kiss against the place where her throat met her shoulder and he realized that it was the first real kiss he ever gave her. He placed another against her jaw and finally, one against the corner of her mouth. He knew he disgusted her and she would not want him to kiss her. That is why he refrained from touching his lips fully against hers. _I will only cause her more harm if I do_ , he told himself.

He closed his eye, trying to block out the pain, but it only intensified. It swallowed him whole until he was nothing but walking agony.

He trailed his nail against the edge of her shirt and ripped off a small portion. He grabbed it tenderly with both of his hands and breathed in her scent once again. Now he will always have a little bit of her scent and of her with him.

With one last glance at his mate's body, he straightened and sprinted out of the room. He paid no mind to his surroundings or the people who parted for him, not wanting to get in his way.

All he knew was that he had to get away from her. He had to protect her. He had to leave his Sara. His mate.

Before long, he was inside of the woods and he neared his home. When there was no one else around, he let out a roar full of agony, longing, heart-break, and pure hopelessness.

He hoped everyone heard his pain-filled expression so that they knew to stay away from him, to let him wither in peace.

At that thought, he collapsed to the dirty, leave-covered forest floor and curled into himself. His tail wrapped around his middle and he sobbed, remembering how his little mate loved playing with his tail. How his little Sara loved even the most ugly part of him.

He brought the small piece of cloth that was clasped tightly within both hands to his face and tenderly ran it against the hard planes.

His beastliness ruined his mate. All he had left of her was her memory and this tiny piece of cloth. Tiny like his Sara. His mate. _Mine_ , he thought, before seeking relief in the cold arms of nightmare-filled sleep.

Little did he know, but his sleep would be no redemption of peace, it would be filled with more pain than the life of the living.


	8. Chapter 8

Leo laid on the floor next to his bed. He no longer deserved his bed. He scared and almost hurt his Sara. His once powerful arms wrapped around his deteriorated legs even more tightly than before, his claws digging into his flesh. Maybe if he never let go he wouldn't have to feel the pain of his missing mate. He wouldn't have her terrified, beautiful face reflected against the backs of his eyelids. Maybe he wouldn't feel the hollow, stabbing pain where his heart should be.

 _My heart_ , he snorted in his thoughts, _my heart is with my Sara_.

With even the slightest whisper of her name, fire flared all around his an encompassed his shaking figure. Pain sliced through him and he had to gasp for breath.

His Sara. _Mine_.

He foolishly thought for a fleeing second those weeks ago when he left her that she would seek him out. That his mate would want him and that she would come to him so that he could pleasure her and show her how strong of a male he could be. Well, he couldn't do that now anyway. He couldn't remember the last time he left his curled up spot, let alone ate.

Agonizing tears slid down his face and he tried to blink them from his eyes. They had been recurring since she was no longer by his side.

On some level the tears, the pain, the hollowness… they were all comforting because it reminded him that his mate was alive and that he was protecting her. It reminded him that he had her for a few short hours. For fleeting seconds.

Unfortunately, it also reminded him that he was the one that could hurt her. The memories reminded him that she thought him ugly; terrifying.

His heart squeezed to the point that he almost wished for sweet death to release him from his torment.

Many months ago when Valiant's Tammy left him, he felt bad for the male but he could not understand how such a strong male resorted to crying. He didn't get, at the time, how the male became a shell of himself and yet refused to go after his mate.

He remembered a conversation they had:

He had been tracking a few bear cubs when he smelled wet salt. It was peculiar and incredibly strange due to the fact that he was dangerously close to encroaching on Valiant's territory.

He tried to push it out of his mind and go back to tracking the little sleuths when he heard a growling sob. It made him jump and it caused his heart rate to speed up dramatically.

It almost sounded like… "My tammy. tammy. tammy", Valiant's voice sobbed from a distance.

 _What the fuck_ , Leo thought to himself- he was proud of his new vernacular given that he picked it up from one of the many times that Tiger tried to stop by and talk to him. He thinks it means 'what in the sex' but Tiger used it in a way to express surprise or even anger so Leo stuck with it.- is that _Valiant_?

He pushed closer toward Valiant's territory and scented his marking of territory everywhere. The smell both disgusted him and frightened him given that it was almost faded away. When was the last time that Valiant left his house to protect his lands? Doesn't he know that the others will take his lands if there is no warning?

He stepped into Valiant's territory and headed towards his cabin. The cabin was surrounded by a fence and it was one of the larger homes in Reservation. If he had been from the same testing facility as Valiant he would have fought the male for it. However, Valiant had lived in it for months before Leo was even rescued, much less sane. He did not want to live in a cabin that wreaked of another male's scent. It would enrage his beast and what if he ever found a mate that didn't care about his tail and wanted to take her home? He would never allow his soul to scent another male while they mated.

When he got closer to the house a loud roar sounded. _Valiant._ Leo rolled his eyes and had to restrain himself from roaring back and issuing a challenge to the other male lion species. He had to remember that he walked into someone else's territory and wanted to know what the fuck was going on.

He froze his movements and leaned against a tree. He thought that he was putting on a pretty peaceful persona but knew that his tail was giving him away. It always did. Stupid thing. He had to force himself not to grab it and thought briefly about just cutting it off. The only thing that stopped him was what Justice said. Justice had told him that he would never be able to walk again if he did that and would most likely bleed out and die. He snorted to himself in durision, if he didn't die at the testing facilities, what could possibly kill him now?

That's when a hulking figure caught his attention. Valiant stood there and Leo barely had enough time to suppress a shiver. His eyes were red-rimmed and swollen. He was definitely crying. How utterly terrifying. 

Leo was unable to keep himself from wrinkling his nose, however. When was the last time that Valiant took a shower? He smelled like rotten meat and sadness.

Valiant growled, "What do you want?", taking a hostile stance with his arms folded across his large chest and his feet placed shoulder-length apart. This male looked about as New Species as he did except that the other male didn't have eyes that were quite as slanted and was sans tail. He was, however, slightly smaller than Leo and not quite as muscular.

Apparently when he was rescued by the other New Species from Mercile, the species were terrified of him and said that he would be, "worse than fucking valiant". He didn't know what a valiant was until he came to Reservation and was face-to-face with the other male. Somehow they both refrained from fighting each other despite the fact that they were both Lion species. Leo was more mellow in general but he had a beast. His beast killed and tore his victims to shreds when he lost control. Luckily, the two males had respect for each other and he knew that if it came down to it, a fight between him and Valiant would be difficult but there is no doubt in his mind that he would win.

Leo responded to Valiant's question with his own, "Why have you been crying?", the male gained an even more aggressive stance with his muscles blunging and his body rocking back into a slight crouch.

"Crying, what crying? Are you accusing me of being a little bitch?", Leo had no response to that. He did not know what was going on. He knew that a bitch was a female dog but Valiant was neither a female or a canine species. _Perhaps that is the insult in itself_ , he contemplated. However, he had a sinking suspicion that his explanation wasn't a full one and that it was another one of Tiger's favorite curses and the other male just picked up on it. He stored the definition in his mind and forced himself to speak again. He hated speaking to others.

"You were crying about a 'tammy'. What are those?", he asked. As soon as he uttered the word 'tammy', Valiant roared and Leo caught another tear slip down his neighbor's cheek.

"My Tammy. My mate.", Valiant forced out gruffly, "My Tammy, my human, left me. She mated me and then escaped in order to never see me again. She has taken my heart."

Leo remembered the rest of their baffling encounter. Valiant, the other leader of the Wild Zone, one of the biggest and most feared species, had mated a human and apparently even completed the physical act of mating with her. She left and Valiant did not know what to do without her. It hurt this make so much that tears were in his eyes and evidenced upon his face.

He had no idea what to make of the encounter. After Valiant had told him his story, Leo had said that he was sorry and then quickly left.

He had heard stories about some of the other more sane and human-like New Species that mated humans. He figured that they were smaller and prettier to the human eye so it made sense that they were mated quickly. He never thought that a human would mate with a Wild ZOne resident, much less Valiant.

Even more baffling than the ugliness and size difference was the fact that the male was so torn up. He eventually came to the conclusion that much like wolves, New Species mated quickly and for life. He just never expected mates to bring heartbreak to their males.

Now, Leo still laid curled up on the cold, dirt floor. He felt his mind become a little bit hazy and wanted his mate close to him before he passed on to an unfeeling bliss. A darkness where there was no remembrance of happiness. No memories of his mate and the beginning of their physical act of mating. His tale curled up toward his nose and tied very carefully around it was a now dirty piece of cloth. He breathed in deeply and imagined that he could still smell his mates delicate and entrancing scent. It wasn't there but just the small cloth being near him helped soothe the pain and his beast. He tucked his head against his chest and his tail against his heart so that the cloth was near his face and his heart. _'She_ has _stolen my heart'_ , that was his last thought before he was swallowed up into eternal misery.

Little did the tortured male know that Sara had wanted to see him but was shut down because the NSO determined that he was too dangerous for her to be around. After that, she was forced to leave because of the chance that he would come in the night and hunt for her. They knew that if he tried to take her, regardless of how many vuard they gave her, he would succeed. The males that escorted her off of NSO lands later revealed to their commanding officers- Tiger namely- that is was sad to see their friend leave and that it was heartbreaking to hear that a male was torn from his mate. She was forced back into the world sans New Species and no one had heard from her since.

Where was Dr. Sara?


	9. Chapter 9

Sara was being escorted off of Reservation. _Why? Oh, God, why? Have I done something wrong,_ she asked herself. When she woke up, she was on a hospital bed. She was extremely disoriented at first but then realized something: Leo. Leo wasn't near her. Where was he, she wondered at the time.

Her questions were answered when Flame walked through the door. His handsome face lit up when he saw her but quickly fell when he took in her facial expression. She wasn't happy to see him and it evidently showed very plainly on her face. This caused the corners of his lips to pull down into a frown and marr his otherwise strikingly beautiful face. _Can men be called beautiful?_ , she contemplated. She decided on yes when she took in the perfectly symetrical features of his face _. Beautiful is not my type. Raw and masculine is_.

She narrowed her eyes on his slightly defensive stance of legs firmly planted on the ground and shoulders back, tense. Sara opened her mouth and asked the questions plaguing her thoughts, "Where is Leo? Is he ok? He wasn't very sane last time I saw him."

What little happiness that had remained on his face quickly faded away into something much harsher.

"Sara, I'm sorry that I pushed myself on you, you know that I only did that because I am missing my Amanda and I have been hoping that I could get over her", she knew that and it was one of the main reasons she remained friends with him even after he always pushed her to share sex with him. _Look at me, I'm using proper Species terms in my head_ , she noted. Regardless, his emotions did not excuse his actions and he had to have known that her Leo would never harm her. It was his fault that Leo was hurt. "But that male is too dangerous. Justice is thinking about putting him down and until then, you're going to have to leave Reservation".

"What? Flame, you know that Leo would never hurt me! I'm his! He wouldn't. And anyway, you don't have the power to make me leave", she said defiantly with indignation. She hated when people put their noses where they didn't belong. And how dare he make accusations about Leo. Leo would never harm her. They couldn't put him down!

"I want to talk with Justice", she said, staring into Flames angry and somewhat wild gaze. She noticed for the first time that he looked dirty and unkept. Perhaps also as though he hadn't eaten for a few days. She felt a stab of pity in her gut but quickly ignored it. He was trying to put her Leo down. He would never get pity from her.

"Justice doesn't want to talk to you right now. He doesn't think that you are in the right mind to consider the male's true intentions behind capturing you. For Christ's sake, Sara! He ripped the fucking chains holding his out of the walls! He's a fucking savage!", as he continued talking, his voice got louder and louder until it was practically a yell. As his voice rose, so did her anger and frustration at his willful ignorance and jealousy.

"He ripped the chains out of the walls to get me! He thought I was in danger from another male! And anyway, you chained him to a wall and kept him in a cage! How are you any better than Mercile?", she countered, adding her own anger into her voice. However, as soon as she mentioned Mercile she knew that it was a mistake. She called him his own abuser. Likened him to soulless monsters who tortured New Species. _Well_ , her mind supplied, _that it exactly what he is._ Regardless, it was stupid on her part to throw that in. She could have at least said it nicer.

"I'm not arguing this", he replied in a deadly voice, "I already packed your bags and I will be escorting you to the walls where your car will be waiting for you. Then you can and you will leave". The ice in his eyes turned absolutely glacier when she had likened him to Mercile and now they appeared as frosty as his tone.

His chin lifted and he glanced at her body. "Get dressed and then we will leave immediately", without another word, he turned on his heel, strode to the door, opened in, and then slammed it shut. If she didn't know better, she'd think that the force he used would have caused the building to fall down.

Now she sat in the car watching the gates being pulled open by masked and very armed officers. Her hands shook and she barely was able to keep herself from breaking down into a fit. She can't leave Leo.

It wasn't up to her though. She was going to have to drive through the gate in a mere couple of seconds. All of her friends were at Reservation. Her house was there. Her job was there. Her belongings were there. Hell, most of her happy memories were there. _Like Leo_ … _No_!, she told herself, _I can't think about him right now. If I do, I will break down and then I will be forcefully escorted off of Reservation._

Jesus… where was she going to stay? She didn't know anything about where she was and she wasn't aware of any motels. _Oh, Fuck!_ Her phone was at the hospital. How was she supposed to go anywhere without it?

 _Great, just fucking great. My whole life is falling apart and now my phone is gone._ She would ask Flame to get her phone but she knew that it would only enrage him more. They used to be friends but now that friendship was over. Only bitter resentment remained and it tasted like bleach on her tongue. Fucking basic.

There was a tap on her window and she saw an NSO officer leaning down to look in her window. It wasn't Flame and she quickly glanced around to see if he was near. He was gone, _so much for caring to see me out_ , her mind snorted. The male's viser was pulled up and she could see the reddish-brown, rounded eyes of Jericho. Another male she'd miss. He could be nasty and aggressive but really he was just a big teddy bear. In fact, when he broke a couple of ribs during a fight with another male and she had to sedate him, he spoke about this gift female, Tiny, that he was in love with but who was afraid of him. The poor male was in tears over the small New Species. He said that the one time she saw him, she screamed and cried and tried to tear out her hair. It was heartbreaking but it made her like the male even more. He was kind and soft-hearted behind all of that hulking muscle.

"Umm… Doctor Sara? Why are you leaving?", he asked, seemingly perplexed with a deep crease appearing between his brows.

"Flame is making me. He said that Leo is too dangerous for me to be around and that Justice doesn't trust me", she saw the shock in his eyes and she leaned closer whispering, "Flame wants him put down but I'm his mate. Don't let him die, Jericho. He would never hurt me". She continued to search his eyes and she tried to convey absolute conviction in her tone.

"Promise me, Jericho", she pleaded with him. He was her last chance, especially now that she did not have her phone.

"The male, Leo, was calling for you not because he wanted to kill you, but because you are his mate?", he questioned. His face at first was confused but then realization dawned and so did horror. He dragged a large hand down his face as said, "We split up a pair of mates and accused him of trying to kill you…. Fuck". He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, opening them to show that he understood what it was like to be seperate from his chosen.

"I will make sure this is traightened out. Don't worry Doc., I won't let anything happen to your male", he said decidedly with a lot of determination in his voice.

"Thank you, Jericho. Ok, I guess I have to go", she joked, trying to force a smile. It didn't work but it was the effort that counted, right?

"I'll see you soon Doc", Jericho replied and nodded his head to the other male guarding the entrance to the gate. He stepped aside and she rolled up her windows, effectively shutting herself off from the waiting protesters outside and shutting her emotions in. She could do this.

After Jericho saw her safely clear the protesters and take off on to the road, he threw off his protective helmet and shoved his gun and his bullet proof vest at Snow, not caring that he probably appeared crazy and as though he lost his mind.

"Where the fuck are you going, Jericho", Snow screamed after him, but the question was left to deaf ears as Jericho had already begun to sprint toward to wild Zone with the intention to save his friend's male. _This is going to go just great_ , he thought sarcastically.

As he sprinted toward the terrline, he took out his phone and dialed Justice's number. He knew that Justice and Tiger were both on vacation and that was why he had to listen to Flame tell him to open the gates. Tiger was minorly injured from the fight with Leo and named someone to watch the gates for a couple of days, that person was Flame. He listened to each ring pass with increasing dread and by the fifth ring his heart was pounding in his chest, blood rushing in his ears. A normally easy spirit was becoming impossible because of the over-saturated adrenaline associated with the spine-chilling fear swiftly settling in the pit of his stomach.

Luckily, on the sixth ring Justice picked up.

"What?", he snapped into the phone. Justice didn't like being disturbed on the very few occasions that he was on vacation and allowed to spend time with his mate and young child. He winced internally in sympathy but then hardened himself. This was too important to not talk about.

"We have a problem", he spoke gruffly into the receiver and finally hit the treeline. He stopped briefly and scented the air, when he caught onto the slight scent of the male and realized that the male's home must be to the south, he turned there, continued to talk into the receiver explaining the situation, and then took off into a dead sprint.


	10. Chapter 10

Little made sense to Leo as he came to. The only thing that he could comprehend was that he was strapped down to a… table? No… a bed. He was so tired. His limbs felt like cinder blocks and his mind felt thick, his brain swollen, his thoughts confused. The room was a nice temperature, a little on the cool side but who could complain? His wrists were encircled with cold metal, _handcuffs,_ he thought. There were straps crossing over his body. Four of them starting from his ankles up to the top of his chest.

 _There is no need for them,_ he thought. _I couldn't move even if I wanted to. Why am I here…?_

Just then, Justice North came striding into the room. It was a shock to his system because he hasn't seen the leader of the New Species since he was denied the right to get his tail removed. That was why he had to do it in secret.

Secret… Sara! His mate! Sadness filled him at the loss of her and his beast roared in anguish. HIs pain so palpable that an answering roar was ripped from his chest.

Pure agony and heartbreak was felt. Hell is often described as unbearably hot, hot enough to burn one alive. HIs hell felt like ice. He felt frozen as though his heart were soon to stop pumping blood around his body from the agonizing chill. HIs brain seized and he felt physically sick.

He wanted to lash out and destroy something. His mate was gone because of him. She has to be, a voice of reason whispered to him. 

Nooo! My mate! His beast roared, tearing at his insides.

His beast knew that it was for the best because he hurt her. He caused her pain. If he hadn't gone away, he would have done it again and again. Such delicate angels deserve reverence and soft touches. Her skin was so delicate that it could rip like paper. So soft and warm and inviting. HIs soul mourned for his loss.

Such a beauty needs a kind and honorable male. One without a tail and one that was just as beautiful. His every instinct wanted to throw something, to fight, at the thought of another with his Sara. His mate. But he knew that he could do no such thing.

He blinked back tears and turned his face up to the ceiling staring at the reflections of light and being once again reminded of his loss. _Everything beautiful will always remind me of_ her.

Once his vision cleared he turned his head to look at the the other feline.

When he did so, he discovered that the feline was gazing upon him with pity.

His beast wanted to fight the male but Leo urged him back down. Even if he was not strapped to a table and could fight, what would be the point of fighting for honor without his mate? Who cares about how others perceive him if his mate couldn't see him. Fight for honor? There is no honor for a male who has lost what is his. The other half of his soul.

Justice began speaking, "Leo, how are you?".

Leo wanted to growl at the stupid question, how was he? How did the male think he was? Just fine? No.

"I am not a whole person anymore. My soul is gone. My life is gone", Leo tried to clear some of the raw emotion form his voice, but to no avail.

Justice looked aghast and said, "Surely you have not boned so quickly?" he gave him an appraising glance and continued, "Leo, I understand how you are feeling but you kidnapped a human. She was terrified!".

"Mine was scared but I showed her that I would protect her. That I would never harm what was mind. My mate stroked my tail and ran it against her face. She treated me like I was a worthy male. Her soft hands caressed me and she cared for me. She cared for me. She cared for me. No one has ever treated me so kindly. I want my mate". At the last word his voice broke and he was unable to continue speaking of his treasured memories.

Justice appeared to be heartbroken with his eyebrows drawn so tightly together that they almost touched. Them, he seemed to shake himself, draw his shoulders back and widen his stance. The stance of an aggressive male.

The hair at the back of his neck stood up at the challenge, at the threat. However, he knew his instinct was wrong. There was no need to fight if he did not have a mate to protect.

Justice spoke again, "I was told by Tiger that you thought that your relationship was real but you have to remember that humans do not mate like we do. They don't necessarily love forever and it takes much longer for them than it does for us. You have put me in a tough situation."

Unfortunately, Leo's mind disallowed him to speak anymore. When he was a child he was beaten for making any sound. For breathing too loudly he was punished. Mercile used him like a punching bag. He was big and ugly, not perfect, so he was only ever used for fighting and endurance tests. It didn't matter how disgusting they made him look. The scarier he was, the more their investors would pay to use him for… other things… horrible scary things. At least until he was older and too big to easily restrained so that they could continue seeking their monstrous pleasures. WHen he grew bigger he rejoiced at the fact that they couldn't touch him anymore. But it also made him feel even more ugly. He was so big that they didn't want him anymore?

Now he knew different and knew how fucked up it is. At the time, his impoverished little brain just felt abandoned. Unfortunately, those were the few times that he ever got affection until his little mate. His soul cried once again

"God, damn it, Leo!" Justice roared. That got his attention.

"I am trying to help you but you are not even listening. If you don't want to listen I will not tell you about Sara."

Just his mate's name on Justice's tongue mad Leo salivate at the thought of ripping out his throat. _No one should utter my angel's name except me._ Not that it was his right to even think of her name anymore. Although he could not stop himself from straining all of his senses out, waiting in anticipation for Justice to continue. Je couldn't miss a single detail about her. Never.

He nodded at Justice to try and communicate that he was listening. Justice seemed to understand as this was the most he had ever heard the gigantic male ever speak. He granted him this one boon.

"Dr. Sara is no longer working for us as a doctor. She was kicked out by Flame while I was on a vacation with my mate. We are having her come in today and she will be here in a few hours. I am planning on speaking to her and if you promise to be on your best behavior, I will mention you and gauge her reaction. I understand that you thought that she wanted to be with you but that does not mean that she did". He took a calming breath and said, "When I first heard about her and you almost mating her and almost ordered you to be put down. I destroyed my living room and scared my mate with my rage. My MATE", he turned to glare at him, "I had been so keyed up and decided to take a vacation with my mate to apologize and to calm down. I knew that she would be safe because you were locked up but I never realized that she would go to you".

"Now listen, you were dying when Jericho found you. He is friends with Sara and talked to her before she left Reservation. She made him promise that he would help to get everything sorted out and that he would fine you. Your life is owed to him and his friendship with her.".

At that, Leo growled low in his throat at the idea of another male being near his mate. His mind started to become hazy again, an enraged red dying the edges of his vision, slowly creeping in. He had to fight with himself in order to stay sane and not go into a rage. If he did that, he would be denied information about his mate. He must concentrate.

"Regardless, she is coming today and she and I will speak about what happened between you two. I do not want her to be afraid and I will not force her to be the mate that you want her to be. I would be a monster if I did that and I would never wish harm upon a female. However, I will try and talk to her and if she wants, you might be able to see her one day when you have calmed down and are not crazed".

Leo knew that the longer he was separated from his mate, the more crazed he would become but he kept his mouth shut. If he opened it, he would be unable to force words out and it would only serve to humiliate him and make him seem weak. A male should have full control over his words. Be he was ruined. He did not deserve his precious mate.

All he did was nod at Justice to let him know that he was heard. He would try his best. He might not ever get his mate back and he knew that he should stay away from her, but he wanted to be surrounded by her beautiful scent. He wanted her to stroke his skin and chase away the demons with the whispers of softness of the pads of her fingers. He would have this even if he had to be strapped down and never touch her, never see her, never make love to her. A tear slipped from his left eye and then his right. Soon, many followed and he didn't even try to hide them from the leader of the NSO. Maybe he will now see how much he yearned or even the tiniest whisper of his mate. HIs heart hurt and he wished that he could curl up into himself and bring his tail, with the tatter of his mates shirt, up to his face to pretend that it was her hands stroking him.

He heard Justice get up and leave but he paid him no mind. He closed his eyes and pictured his mate lying in his arms, her scent surrounding him. And then, he was at peace.


	11. Update!

Hi, everyone!

I'm sorry that I've been keeping you all waiting, I know that it's been a while since I've last updated. I have been reading Laurann Dohner's FB page and her fan page which has her partial stories posted for upcoming characters and their personalities in .docx. Now, when I read Beauty's story and learned about Leo for the first time, I had this very specific vision for him in my mind. He was called a prankster and he did not seem that wild, even thought I knew that he ruled the Wild Zone with Valiant. However, when I read through her partials again I realized that he is referenced as making Valiant look tame and he is said to have lions on his porch. I am not going to write the story exactly how L.D. is planning on writing his, but I want to stay a little more true to his character.

So, I am going to try and bring him to his full glory and start to make him more wild once he gets Sara back. My idea is that he was going through a really hard time and started to fall apart, but now that he has his mate, he can be himself again. I made him very sad and I fell like what I have written so far does not encompass all of his amazingness. He is going to stay the super sweet and attentive mate, but I plan on showing some other sides of him too and I hope to post this new chapter sometime in the next week. I know that I am behind but I've been trying to find a way to make him more three-dimensional and more true to his character. So look out, there's about to be some wild lion love.

Love,

Valaint'sLittleSister

P.S. Please let me know what you guys think of this story and what other NS character you'd like me to write! 3


	12. Chapter 11

Part 1

Sara sat across from Justice with a table between them. She had just finished explaining everything that had happened between her and Leo and the events that led up to Flame forcing her to leave Reservation. Justice had kept his expression completely blank until after she finished, not allowing her to gauge his emotions. However, now that was she finished, he sat at his desk with his head in his hands, his body wracked with tension.

Justice has always been a very mellow man, - _male_ , she silently corrected herself. _They want to be called males_ \- so seeing him stressed out unnerved her. She sat, unsure about what it was exactly that caused him to react this way. _Was it Leo, me, or Flame's actions?_

Regardless, she sat there shaking slightly, running her hands through her still-damp hair to try and soothe her nerves. She had been staying at a hotel for several days before she heard from Justice North again and was asked to come back to Reservation to meet with him. She was in the middle of a shower, crying, when she heard her phone go off. It caused her to react quickly and she had jumped out of the shower, tripping and bruising her knees, while trying to get to her phone as quickly as possible.

She was ecstatic when she found out that she would be coming to visit and talk with Justice. She didn't have time to get ready though because as soon as Justice hung up, she heard a knock on her door and was surprised to see men in NSO uniforms there to come and take her back. She was escorted by the team of four and she was surprised to notice that they were all human. She wanted to ask them about why the NSO hired humans but kept the question to herself. Even though she used to work there, she did not know everything that went on in the NSO and was not given clearance for everything. Asking too many questions could get her in trouble.

She pulled her hair a little too harshly the second time that she ran her hands through her hair and sighed. This was so stressful. She just wanted Leo. To know that he was ok…

Justice suddenly looked up and gently said "come in". At that, she heard a door open and a large shadow fell across the room, the light and absence of light entering the small office with her and Justice.

Before even a second passed, a large hand spanned her waist and large, strong arms encompassed her form. She was picked up out of her seat and crushed against a massively warm chest. The arms tightened around her and she struggled against the force, scared at the sudden intrusion. The chest that she was tucked against started to shake and the sound of soft, deep sobs filled her ears. She was no longer scared but instead confused. Sara's face was tucked into the male's neck and her head was tucked there. At that, she knew who held her. Leo.

Her Leo was crying.

His head laid on top of her own, his cheek pressed to the top of her head and she felt the heavy tears that his eyes released caress her damn hair and roll onto her face.

This spurred her into action and she reached her arms around him to hug him as much as she could, he heart filled with heartbreak and pain for the male in her arms.

"Shhhhhhh…", she soothed him, reaching up one hand to lay against the side of his face not pressed against her hair. "Shhhh….", she stroked her hand through his long golden mane of hair, hoping to calm him.

At that, his arms tightened against her even more and he walked a few steps back, still holding her in his arms, until his back hit a wall. Then he slowly slid down until they both reached the floor.

Her heart was heavy for him and she was relieved that he still wanted her. She sat confused at his actions, though. Why the sobbing? Did he miss her so much that the strong, aggressive and loving male that she knew was reduced to such a state? The thought hurt her. It was her fault. The poor male.

When he sat fully on the floor, he readjusted her in his lap until her legs were tucked within his own and her ass was padded by his lap. She could feel the ridged, long evidence of his desire for her but knew that it was an involuntary reaction. He wanted her, but he wanted to hold her more.

Sara looked up into his captivatingly beautiful cat-like eyes, complete with elliptical pupils, and saw the red- rimmed tear duct and damp golden lashes. He had tears dried to his face and she wanted to lean up and kiss them away for him. She was about to when suddenly he dipped his face into her neck and nuzzled his broad, flattened nose against her pulse. Dragging it up and down in a soothing manner while breathing in deep, seemingly trying to fill his lungs with her scent. As though he couldn't get enough of her scent.

He tilted his head up slightly at an angle, not removing his face from her throat and licked at her ear lobe, then dragging his tongue down to her collar bone. It felt so good - _wait. Is he… marking me_?

Something must have been going on because Justice suddenly cleared his throat and Sara jumped. She had forgotten that he was there, but Leo must not have because he did not even more a muscle. In fact, he continued his ministrations and she could barely keep herself from shivering and revealing the full effect of her reaction to the males in the room. She started to feel hot and bothered and it seemed to spur him on even more.

She looked up to Justice for help and he just stared back at her with amusement glinting in his eyes.

He said, "Perhaps you should stop that, Leo. I am mated and would never go after your mate and you know this because you obviously do not care that I am in the room with her but know that everyone will smell her needing scent when you leave this room. Most males here are at Reservation and they could attempt to take her. That would put her in danger. If you keep that up, she could be put in harm's way".

This caused Leo to roar so loudly that her hearing went away for a few seconds and she heard ringing in her ears. She grabbed her head and covered them, waiting for the sound and the subsequent slight pain to fade.

Leo must have noticed her distress because he instantly cut off the sound and wrapped his hands around hers, covering her hands with his own and he peered deeply into her eyes and whined at her, seeming to apologize. She knew it hadn't been on purpose and she leaned into his hands, showing her support of him. At that, he wrapped his tail around her waist and laid the fluffy end at the crook of her neck. It calmed her even more and she snuggled into the full embrace. Loving the feeling of safety and contentment.

Once she regained her bearings, she looked back over to Justice North and saw that he was leaned back in his office desk chain, analyzing the situation with a small smile on his face.

"I see that you both are content with each other", he started, "Are you in need of mating papers? I can have the office draw them up within the hour".

Part 2

Leo lifted his gaze from his mate's delicate profile to glance at Justice. He did want mating papers. His Sarah was his. Forever.

However, when he glanced at his mate, she did not seem to want this. She looked at him, paling, her mouth slightly ajar and her eyes wide.

He wanted to roar in rage, fury, hurt, but he kept himself composed because he did not want to hurt hit little mate's delicate ears. _Never hurt her_ , his beast whispered.

His heart felt pain and he closed his eyes, trying to focus just on her scent to calm him. It always calmed him. She did not want to be his mate right now, but he knew that he could change her mind. He would convince her that he would be the best mate. He would provide for her. She already has a nest and they will love together. They will have offspring. He will watch her belly swell with his seed and she will love him.

He focused on the fact that he had her in his arms, that she sat in his lap, that her scent surrounds him.

He gathered himself and with his eyes still closed, his face contorted in pain, he shook his head. Unable to force words out in most cases, it was even more difficult when strong emotion wracked him. No wonder his mate did not want him. He was damaged.

Just as he was about to start to wallow in grief, his mate lifted a soft, small hand and held it against his face. He leaned into her touch, reveling in the fact that she touched him on her own accord. That she tried to console him. At that moment, he knew that he had a chance.

"I understand", Justice said. "Mating papers are a big deal and they are a lot like marriage. You do not need them to be mates. They are only a formality. I do not know any species that signed them right way, no matter how much they are in love. Human females seem to be resistant to such matters. They have strange cultures. They seem to need to be around males longer before they make a full commitment even if they are already mates to us. Sometimes they want their families involved in the ceremony too. That is what Valiant and his mate, Tammy, did"

He continued, "I see that you two are close and I implore you to stay at the hotel tonight. It is now dark, and I know it is chilly out right now. We would not want Sara to catch a cold. Are you two willing to share a room?"

Leo wanted to instantly agree but knew that it was up to his mate. He couldn't force her to do anything if it would make her unhappy. He glanced down at her with the intent of reading her emotions but noticed that she had fallen asleep. Justice's ramblings must have bored her.

"My mate…", Leo started, trying to force the words past his throat, making a huge effort, "My mate and I need a room", he finally completed the sentence. It was painful to say, and he only ever wanted to make the effort with his mate, but he knew it had been necessary.

Justice beamed at him, his almost black eyes crinkling at the corners to express happiness. "I seem to have bored her to sleep", he laughed. "I see that she likes your tail, are you keeping it?", he asked.

Leo glared at the man and wanted to growl but decided not to in order to not wake his mate. He would not get rid of his tail now. She liked it and he could not take away something of hers that gave her pleasure.

"I see that you made an appointment under Valliant's name in order to see if she would help remove you tail. She is not a surgeon and therefore would not have even if you had not kidnapped and claimed her. However, I am glad that you have decided to keep your tail and have found your mate. I just want to warn you though that human females are sometimes hard to deal with and their emotions are not quite the same as ours. They do not bond like we do, and it is hard for them to commit to us and we commit wholly to them. I do not see you having a hard time, but I do not want to see you hurt", Justice finished.

Leo felt panicked at the idea of his mate not wanting him anymore and leaving but he knew that he could make her stay. She was small and fragile, and he would take care of her. She would want to stay. He would see to it. He fixed Justice with a look that hopefully conveyed his annoyance.

Justice just chuckled and walked to the ne do the room, opening the door. "Come", he said, "Let's take you to the front desk and get you a room and a key so that you can take your mate to bed this night".


	13. Chapter 12

Leo unlocked the door to their hotel suit as quietly as possible, not trying to wake his sleeping mate. He pushed the keycard in and gently readjusted his Sara against his chest as he opened the door and then let it softly swoosh shut when he cleared the doorway.

HIs mate's scent calmed him, and he could barely keep himself from purring in contentment. His purr could wake her, and she needed all of the rest that she could get. Her body is fragile and not enough sleep could harm her. He would never let anything harm her again.

He glanced around the room and noticed that there was a small living-room and a kitchen attached to it. He spotted a short hallway where at the end of it, there was another room. The bedroom, he decided.

Leo walked as softly as possible, his bare feet slapping against the hardwood floors and made his way to the bedroom. When he entered, he instantly recoiled. The room smelled of another male. It was faint, but the scent disgusted him, and he wanted to roar with rage. He checked that emotion though. _Waking her will harm her_ , he growled in his head at himself. _Stay calm, for her._

He would do just that, but first, he needed to get her out of that room before the other male's scent marred her enticing one.

He knew that the scent was old, faint, but that did not stop his instincts from wanting to go into a rage. The scent would not even be noticeable by other species, but he was more animal than most. _He_ noticed it.

He prowled around the small suit again and when he bent to lay his mate on the couch, he bared his teeth and let out a silent growl at the scent of the male again. He would _kill_ this male.

There was nowhere safe for his mate.

She would not sleep where another male has slept before. Where another male has sat before, where another male has been. She needed a nest but at this time, there was no way to get her to hers.

He momentarily debated taking the trip back to the Wild Zone so that she would be able to be in her nest with his scent surrounding her. So that she would be where he slept, where he sat, where he was being. But he dismissed the idea when considering the logistics of getting her to their home.

He knew that the night air was cold and would chill her skin. Too harmful. It could jostle her and subsequently wake her. Too risky. Her scent would call to him and the sight of her small, lovely form laying in their nest could cause him to be too tempted to mate her. To claim her. At that thought, he was unable to hold back a purr. The thought of claiming his Sara's lithe little body instantly brought his cock to attention. It strained against his sweats and he felt the top peak out a few inches over his waistband. He had to try and keep his breathing under control and his body from reacting further. Mating her while she was weak and tired would harm her. He swore to keep her safe from everyone, even himself.

At that thought, He adjusted his mate to be held by just one arm and gently urged her head into the curve of his neck. The feel of her soft, warm breath against his neck caused his cock to surge and jerk again in his sweats and he prayed for her to bite his neck and leave her mating mark. She didn't.

He slowly eased himself to the floor and laid down. The room was warm enough that his mate did not require a blanket, his body would keep her warm and would shield better than a flimsy piece of fabric ever could. Through the whole ordeal, he never left his tail slip from around her waist with the tip tucked against her throat, stroking up and down in a soothing gesture.

As he adjusted her into a more comfortable position for her on his body, he reveled in the fact that he once again held his Sara in his arms. He was once again surrounded by her scent. He had his mate.

At that, he reached down toward his cock and laid his palm against the head of it. It was hard and surged in his hand.

He imagined it was his mates warm, tiny hand holding his cock and he almost came at the thought. He slid his hand down his ridged length slowly, imagining her on his lap, looking up at him with her doe-like brown eyes and parting her lips. He stroked himself slowly and the image in his mind was so real due to the feel of his mate in his arms and her scent surrounding him, that after just a few lingering strokes, that he almost came. He stopped himself though.

Leo felt bad for masturbating and pleasuring himself while his mate lay exhausted and unaware in his arms. He would not get pleasure without his mate. He would always seek her pleasure first and then tend to himself. If he continued to touch himself, not only would he be unable to stop himself from claiming her soon after, he would then feel guilty for receiving pleasure without her.

He and his mate were a team. He would not do this without her. It would be like cheating on her with his imagination and species never cheated.

He grasped his cock once more and tucked it between his legs so that when his mate awoke, she would not have to deal with the evidence of his desire for her. He did not want to alarm her with the severity of his emotions, especially so soon after so many changes have taken place in her life.

At that, he tightened his arms around his Sara and gazed down at her heart-shaped face in fascination. How could someone so beautiful and ethereal want to be his? Chose to be with _him_. He knew from the bottom of his heart that the love that he felt for her was the kind in romance novels- eternal and everlasting. If something ever happened to his mate he would go insane and never return to the living. He would seek sleep with her until they were reunited in the afterworld. Her Heaven, as humans refer to it.

No one could ever ask for a better mate. Especially one as messed up as him. Someone with a tail. Someone who could never compare to her stunning beauty.

Before her, Leo had been lost. In the months leading up to finding his mate, he was without any joy in his life. The pride leader of the lions that he kept on his porch had died and the females had to be relocated to Torrent's home because they needed a male to lead them. That wasn't what had started his spiral from leader of the Wild Zone to a recluse, but it did further it. What started it was when some of the males living at Reservation came to him to teach him to read.

When they had been brought from the testing facilities to the desert before they were relocated to their new homes, the staff had attempted to teach him. They succeeded with most, but they could not get through to him. He was too stubborn and wild. He refused to learn. He had a hard time talking, much less reading words of others talking.

When he was given his own home and land in the Wild Zone, he mellowed out slightly due to the social exclusion and quiet. He reveled in it. Occasionally he would even pull pranks on other males when he was bored. It amused him and even though it pissed the other males off, they eventually started finding it funny.

They started coming around more and he minded their presence less and less each time. Although, the first few times they came near, he brutally attacked and roared until they left his space. The thought of the frightened look on the other species' faces brought a smile to his own and his mood improved even more, although it was seemingly impossible because his mate was currently cradled in his arms.

When they started coming around, they taught him to swim and to eventually read. One of the males brought him a book with a shirtless man and a beautiful woman on the cover when he found out that the male did not have access to- porn? He said that it wasn't as good but better than nothing and Leo fell in-love with the books. The sex was like that of what he heard was between mates and it made him crave one. That is what started his depression. His exclusion.

The next event was that Valiant found a mate. It hurt that the other male who was almost as wild as him, was able to find a mate but he wasn't. He was bigger than Valiant and scarier, he thought that no one could ever want him. When he found that Valliant's Tammy was with child, and then the child was born, he fell apart and wallowed in his grief. He knew he would never have what Valiant had. His chest felt hallow and painful, but it was nothing like what he felt when he forced himself to leave his mate. That was pure agony and he was prepared to die. When the imprint of her scent on his skin faded and when her covering that he tied to his wrist soiled, he thought he was lost.

Then, he was reunited with her and he would never let her go. He would cover her in his scent, mate her, fill her with his seed until it took in her body and she was properly breed. He and his mate would have a family and their nest would grow. They would have everything together, forever. He would never be without his mate again. His Sara. It did not matter that she did not want to officially mate with him yet. It hurt his heart, but he would convince her of otherwise. He would feed her, take care of her, make love to her, and help her make her nest even more comfortable. She would want to stay with him

He could no longer be the sad male he had been. Now he had a mate who needed protecting and he needed to step up. If he did not, some of the other Wild Zone residents could decide to take it upon themselves to go after his Sara. _Never_ , his beast snarled. He had to become the leader and "scary son of a bitch", as Tiger would put it, if he were to protect his female.

 _Yes, mine,_ his beast purred. _Mine. Mine. mine. mine... mine…..._


	14. Chapter 13

Part 1

Leo awoke laying on the hard, uncomfortable floor of the hotel room. The first thing he noticed was a hot, light body curled upon his own. Barely conscious, he jolted up and threw the body away from his own, causing it to hit a wall, landing in a crouch a few feet away from his earlier position. He hissed at the intruder, the person who dared come so near to him.

As he got a better look at the person sprawled at an awkward angle across from him, he noticed that it was not an intruder but rather a small angel. The angel's hair was strewn across her face and her eyes were unseeing. Her neck was twisted in a weird direction and she had no heartbeat. Had he really used such strength in throwing her away from him? He had meant to get the small being away from him, not to harm her. But there was something familiar about this small angel… He cocked his head to the side wondering what was going on. What had happened to this small angel? Who had done this to her? He crawled very slowly closer to her and that was when he realized that he was looking into his mate's eyes. His beautiful Sara's eyes were the ones filled with nothingness! How could he not recognize his own mate? HIs beast came alive at the sight of her dead body and he roared in anguish, tearing at his chest and creating deep gouges over his heart. He wanted to claw it out so that he wouldn't feel so much pain.

He killed his mate and now his little Sara would never see another day. He would never see her smile, hear her laugh, help her build their nest, make love and fill her with his seed. She would never bear his offspring. She would never live again.

He collapsed from his knees and onto the cold floor. His head his the wood paneling and he relished in the pain, but knew that it was nothing like that in which his mate felt moments before her death. At that, his beast ripped his heart to ribbons and took over. HIs beast lunged to his Sara and took her still, lifeless body into its arms, cradling her head as gently as possible, tears slipping out of his eyes and onto her graying face. His vision blurred and he let out a howl of agony.

The next thing that he was aware of was the feeling of someone shaking him. He resisted, wanting to relish in the agony of the loss of his mate. Wanting to live in a life of pain similar to that of what his mate experienced. He delved deeper into that pain, bathing in the pure agony and heartbreak. But again, he was jolted and something was whispered to him. A sweet voice. Sweeter than honey. His mate… had she come to him as a true angel? Was she here to pass judgement on him? Did she still love him?

At that, he refused to open his eyes. He could not look into the angel form of his mate. It hurt too badly. He didn't deserve to have the opportunity to look at such beauty and innocence when he was the one to destroy it.

He kept his eyes closed even more firmly but still tears escaped. Soft hands cupped his cheeks and wiped away his tears. Oh his Sara… she was too kind and sweet. How she treats him tenderly even now. Again it was whispered, "Leo, wake up. It is only a dream", and this time he understood the whisper. A dream? She was not really an angel here to pass judgement on him? She was just dead? Her soul did not continue to move on after dead? He killed her soul too. He let out a pain-laced whimper and covered his ears with his hands. The hands of a murderer. The hands of someone capable of killing someone so innocent and lovely… his mate.

Small warm hands shook him once more, "Leo!" is yelled in his ear and this time he could not help but open his eyes. When he opened them he was met face to face with his mate and he howled.

Part 2

Sara looked into her sweat-drenched mate's eyes and saw fear and raw pain. What happened to him? She wondered if he was dreaming about his time at the facility. The poor man, so strong on the outside but broken on the inside.

She scooped down and hugged his body with her own, turning her face into his neck and planting a kiss just below his ear. His entire body freezes and starts to shake, as though he can not believe that she is there. That she is the one holding him Her strong, strong warrior. "It is okay", she coos to him, "you are safe and I am here, Leo. My mate". And this seems to finally break him out of his stooper. His hands lift from his ears and his arms come around her in a tight hug that borders on painful. She covers up a wince and can practically hear her ribs creaking and continues to coo to her Leo. Her right hands reaches up and tangles in his hair momentarily, but then begins to smooth it down as though she were consoling a child. That is really what her mate is when he is vulnerable. A scared bebe.

A sob breaks from between her strong warrior's lips and he turns his head toward hers, planting a kiss on her brow. His rough, unused voice says, "My angel, my Sara, my mate". He repeats this a few times in a reverent, loving voice all the while trying to reign in his sobs. She decides not to mention his nightmare and instead coaxes him into calm. He does not need to tell her of him time with Mercile just yet. That will come in time and they have forever.

Part 3

Leo stares at his mate's profile taking in her enigmatic beauty and her pure-heartedness. His mate might not be considered the most traditionally beautiful, but to him, she was the most stunning woman on earth. Her heart shines through every part of her body and highlights her loveliness. How could a woman such as her ever want a mate such as him?

He knows that his dream was just that, a dream, but that does not stop his subconscious from possibly being right. What he took away from his nightmare was that he is dangerous to his mate and that she is fragile. She could be easily hurt by his strength, but even more than that, she could be hurt by his words or actions just as easily. He could extinguish her glow so easily and that is why he vowed to himself the moment that he realized that his mate was alive that he would do everything in order to maintain her health and her glow. He would be the best mate she could ever ask for and she would never be sad. She would never cry and she would always know that he loved her. She would always know that she is the most important thing in his life and that she is beautiful, even if that means that he will have to begin speaking again.

The male, Jericho, drove the vehicle that they were riding in on their way to the Wild Zone, toward their home and her nest, He barely noticed the wind whipping his hair around his face or the passing scenery. He barely even noticed the other male's scent because he has been too distracted with something. He was been trying to speak to her. Words are sometimes easy to form and other times almost impossible. Some days are easier than others and after the scare that he had this morning, he seemed unable to form words. They flowed through his mind eloquently but every time he opened his mouth, they stalled and became twisted.

He decides to try once more. He opens his mouth and rolls his tongue around. _This is difficult_ , he thinks. As he tries to force the words form between his lips to explain himself from this warning, he stalls when he notices how she stares in awe at the passing scenery. At the tall trees and fertile grasses. At the wild flowers and fauna. Her look of wonder was entrancing. "Beautiful", he says, not even thinking. Completely lost to her beauty, he didn't even notice that he had spoken until she turned to him and her angelic eyes turned loving onto him.

He saw the other male shift out of the corner of his eye, grumbling something about mates and rolling his eyes. Usually he would attack someone for disrespecting him but he barely paid the male mind. The male would not ruin this moment with his Sara. His mate.

She gave him a huge smile and reached out to grasp his hand. Her hand was warm and soft within his own. It was tiny and delicate just like she was. With her other hand she reached down and grasped the fluffy end of his tale and gave it a light tug. The sent pleasurable sensations through his body and his cock instantly shot steel hard. So hard that it was terribly painful. The scent of his arousal must have been obvious because the male driving suddenly parked the vehicle and got out.

He looked at him and the male had his lip curled in disgust but ground out, "My man, that's disgusting. It's a good thing that we are here".

This caused Leo to look at his surroundings and that was when he noticed the clearing around his house and the garden that they were currently parked next to. He marveled at the fact that his mate was so entrancing that he hadn't even realized that he was home.

Sara let go of his hand and his tail and stepped out of the vehicle, looking around at his house. He is suddenly filled with shame at the fact that she probably hadn't seen the exterior or much of the interior the first time that she was here. His mate hadn't had any time to acclimate to his nest before he had already attempted to claim her.

"Thank you, Jericho", Sara said, and Leo wanted to snarl at the fact that he used the other male's name but he knew it would make her pure little heart mad so he kept his mouth shut, instead settling to curl his upper lip at the male to show his distaste of him.

The male, Jericho, nodded his head and was smart enough not to make eye-contact with his mate. He then got back into the vehicle, what Leo now recognized as a Jeep, and drove away from their home.

He reached down toward Sara's hand and lead her to the house. He would show her them home and they would build her nest this day. He would feed and provide for her and hopefully he would claim her as his, planting his seed deep in her womb and showing his love for her, forever.


	15. Chapter 14

Part 1

Sara

Staring at Leo as he works is not a bad passtime, Sara decides. Watching is muscles bunch and watching his ass flex everytime that he bends down to pick up firewood is extremely pleasing to her. Not to mention, his tail swishing back and forth as he works is beyond adorable.

Almost as though he can hear her thoughts, her male turns his head around and flashes her a quick smile while thoroughly looking her up and down as though to make sure that she had not been injured in the ten seconds that he was not watching her. Everytime he smiles, it truly makes her day. He has a bit of a different face with flatter features, a wider nose, and cat-like eyes, but those things do not deter from his beauty. Rather, they enhance it. When he flashes his teeth it is even more apparent that he is not truly human because of how long and sharp his canines are. _So cute_ , she muses.

Ever since Jericho left about an hour ago, Leo hasn't spoken a word to her. He doesn't need to though. His kind, expressive face and his body language tells her everything that she needs to know about what he is thinking. They are that in-tune. She knows that he wants to make a good impression on her and was nervous at first about showing her his house but he didn't have to be. When he led her in doors and showed her the small home she was shocked by how bare it was but found it to be charmingly quaint and clean, at least for a male living alone. The few possessions he owns were organized very well and tucked into their own home and his sleeping space was on the ground, but the bed had been made.

After showing her around his home, he led her outside to gather firewood. _And my, my, my is it a great site,_ she thinks to herself. Her hand twitches at the idea of running her hands down his abs and feeling the way that they shiver at her touch. However, her male hasn't yet made any sexual advances on her and she isn't too sure about what he would do if she did such a thing.

Regardless, she always thought him yummy. Ever since the first moment that she met him she found this to be true. Even when he was scary and kidnapped her she could not help but marvel at his attractiveness and strength. Not to mention the fact that he was always sporting a huge erection around her… like massively huge. Like a tree-trunk. Like so big that there is no way that he could truly fit in her, big.

At that moment, Leo shifted his body toward her and strolled in the direction of the house with his arms loaded up with massive amounts of timber. That timber isn't the only thing massive on his body. Like always and as predicted, Leo's cock stood at attention and was painfully obvious in his denim cut-off shorts with the swollen mushroom head and a few inches poking up over his waistband.

Sara instantly felt herself get wet and she blushed in that moment, embarrassed by her body's reaction to his incredibly yummy masculine one. She watched as Leo stumbled a step and almost dropped the firewood, his nostrils flaring. Oddly enough, he took multiple deep breaths in as though he was trying to… savor?... her scent. A deep rumble emanated from his chest and a loud purr erupted from him. His eyes closed and his mouth fell open slightly on a moan. He shifted the firewood into one arm and palmed his erection with his right hand, a louder purr escaping his throat. He stroked up and down once, twice, and then released his cock, his right hand regaining some of the wood and he continued on his way to the house, his tail wound tightly as if alert.

Sara continued to stand in the field watching her male walk away from her, absolutely shocked at what transpired. _Holy fucking shit_ , she thought, _that was the hottest thing I have ever seen._

Part 2

Leo

Leo barely remembered what he did after he shook himself from his love's mating scent. One second he was hard as steel and aching and then next he was standing in front of the fire with more firewood chopped in his arms.

He loved his mate but there is no way that her needing scent could have been because of him. As much as he wished that his mate could be attracted to him, he knew differently. It is impossible with his tail and his harsh features. That is why he has to prove to her that he can be the most attentive and loving mate. He can make her love him by demonstrating his love and loyalty to her.

As he watched the red and orange flames dance across his eyes, he continued to ponder that thought. In order to take care of her, he will need to also show her that he will be strong and protect their young.

Oh.. God, he thinks to himself. His mate will also need to be satisfied, made love to. He was a virgin and they had only made it so far last time. What if he messed up and she never wanted to be with him again? What if his cock wasn't big enough for her? The women in his romance novels seemed to be always wrapped up in the idea of the size of their man's cock. How big is big? He is a very large male, none rivaling his size but what if his cock wasn't as big as she wanted or as big as she was used to? If he failed her in that, then he was truly unworthy of her. At that thought, he hung his head in shame and let his body go lax, his emotions taking a nosedive and his cock shriveling up and the thought of their mate's rejection. His beast whimpered in pain at the concept, so utterly horrified that he could feel it curling in on itself trying to shelter its heart from the pain.

Just as his eyes began to fog up and his feet became blurry, a warm, soft hand landed on his shoulder. His angel's voice called his name and he looked up into her eyes, allowing her to see his tears. It might make him seem like a weak male, but he did not care as he put himself at his mate's mercy. If she rejected him for his weakness, perhaps that would be better than rejecting him because of the size of his sex or because of his appearance.

His angel, his Sara, looked at him with only compassion and it made the beast in his mind sigh with contentment. She put her other hand to his face, not having to lean down because from his vantage point kneeling on the ground, they were just about eye-level. His mate is so tiny… _so beautiful and in need of protection_ , his beast murmured.

"So…", she started looking around, "Where do you want to sleep?"

The question brought him up short and for a moment he was sidetracked. His mind was forced to do a one-eighty and remove itself from his insecurities in order to focus on his mate's needs. She wanted to sleep? She can not do so without a nest! She needed to be completely comfortable and surrounded by the things that she loves and the things that he will provide for her. They could not start a life and have young without a nest for the both of them. When they first almost made love he forwent the need for a nest because of the urgency that was in both of them, however, he would not do wrong by her again in such matters. He would be a good mate and help her build the foundations of her safety and future. Their future.

He got up from his uncomfortable kneeling on the ground causing the hands on his face and shoulder to fall away. Needing to feel her touch to build up the courage to speak, he took ahold of her right hand in both of his and flattened her palm against his chest.

"...", he tried to force out words but they did not escape his lips the first time.

He tried once more and was able to force out a few of the words he was meaning to speak, "Mate… nest… yours" he said in broken, rough English. Truly what he had meant to say was My mate, Sara, I will provide you everything for your nest so that we can have young and so that you will be safe. Obviously, not everything always goes as planned.

She looked at him in confusion but smiled anyway, trying to humor him. He knew this and grew frustrated with his inability to speak. First Mercile made him ugly to his mate and then they stripped him of his speech so that his mate never truly understood him.

The hand trapped against his heart began to stoke up and down against the corded, straining muscles of his chest. She gave him another smile and said, "Leo, I am not sure what that means, but we can go look at nests if you want. Is that what you mean? To look at birds nests? We can do that but we will have to be careful to not scare off the mothers from their eggs."

 _My mate is so understanding_ , his heart warmed at the thought that she agreed to anything that he wanted to do even though she was obviously tired and had asked about the bed. He did not want to point out to her that his bed was just some blankets-a small cot really-that he had fixed for himself a while ago. When he first had come to the wild zone, he wanted to be as far away from everyone as possible and therefore was given the smallest cabin. The cabin that had been farthest from the others was Valaints so the NSO had to construct hima shelter quickly. All of the things that had been housed in the cabin were destroyed in fits of rages that he had in the first few months living there. The only thing left were the objects that he needed and cherished. The NSO tried to come back and finish the building but he never wanted males so close to a place where he hoped to house his future mate, afraid that their scents would continue to linger into the far future and marr his mate's scent. Regardless, he would make it her nest and she would be proud to have him as a male.

His chest puffed out and he smiled at her deciding that he would take her now to find things for her nest. Besides, even if he wanted to explain to her that he wanted to build and provide her a nest, not look at other animals' ones, how could he? Even around her he could barely speak and he trusted her with his soul.

Part 3

Sara

Sara walked along slightly behind Leo as he led her from the small, slightly run-down cabin to the forest surrounding his home. She wondered why she didn't see any furnishings around the home and why it appeared so dirty and sparse? Sure, the few things that Leo had were neat and organized but it did not make sense to her. Justice North did not seem to be the kind of man that would neglect any New Species, no matter how wild. Plus, she had been to the homes of some of her other New Species friends and their houses were furnished very comfortably. Leo's on the other hand was essentially only three rooms combined into one in an open-floor plan model. It housed a pile of neat books on a table, an old lazy-boy, a fireplace, and a sparse, slightly run-down kitchen, and then tucked into a corner with walls surrounding the smaller space but no door, was a bed with a few blankets on it.

To say the least, it disturbed her how few things that he had. Although, perhaps he chose not to have so many things. She knew people like that. People who only kept what was necessary. Then again, all of those past friends worried about the environment and for some reason she didn't see Leo knowing or being too worried about global warming and environmental changes.

When they finally broke the line of trees she recognized with shock that she was in the middle of a beautiful meadow. One covered in flowers that were every color of the rainbow and beautiful objects. Hanging from some of the trees were pieces of colored glass that appeared to be from bottles. They were perfectly shaped without any sharp edges and beyond clean. They were stung up in a purposeful way and there was no way that they were machine-made. Looking around at the other objects in the meadow- beautiful and clean rocks, strings of lights, and a wooden, handcrafted bench, everything began to sink in.

She tore her eyes away from the incredible meadow and turned to her Leo with a question on her lips. When she took a look at his expression, his head bowed slightly with his gorgeously striking cat eyes peeking out from beneath long blonde lashes, a look of hope of his face, she need not ask. She knew in that moment that he was the one the created this meadow. He must have spent months collecting bottles and sanding the sides of the broken glass thay reflect light and reorganizing the flowers to looks like a rainbow and collecting, cleaning, and placing each rock with a specific purpose. _Oh, God._ she thought to herself.

Sara turned her head back towards the meadow and continued to take in the entrancing majesty of it all.

"For you. For my mate" she heard a voice say roughly in her ear.

She whipped her head around and Leo stood inches from her body, looking at her proudly with pride in his eyes.

"For me?", she questioned him, needing to make sure that what he said was true and that he did all of this for her. He did it with his future mate in mind so that she could enjoy it.

He nodded his head and tears sprung to her eyes at the devotion that he put in at the thought of meeting her some day.

He leaned over, his broad shoulders momentarily blocking out the sun as he took his large hand and swiped under her eye. He looked at the teardrop sadly as though he had caused her pain. In an effort to ease the worry lines he caused in his visage, she grabbed onto his hand and brought it to her mouth, kissing the center of his palm. When she did this, it was the first time that she noticed how rough the pads on his hands were, animal like. For climbing perhaps? It reminded her of the pads on the paws of the house cat that she had growing up. She took her index finger and stroked one of the rough pads and he yanked his hand from her grip, curling his hand and cradling it against his body as though he had been burned. He turned his face from hers as though in shame. As though her touching his hand had caused him severe emotional pain.

"Leo-" she started, but abruptly stopped as he shook his head, continuing to look away.

As he continued refusing to look at her, she wrapped her arms around her middle suddenly feeling chilled and empty. As though the lack of his gaze stripped all of the courage and warmth from her. She peered at the ground feeling alone and she wasn't sure how long they stood there until a hand grasped one of her arms and unwound it from her small form. It then grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the flowers. She watched as Leo led her to the first of the sections of flowers and began to pick the most beautiful ones. Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. Why would he ruin the beautiful flowers and condemn them to death by taking them from the ground?

Almost as though he were reading her thoughts, Leo turned and handed the white and yellow daffodils to her, gesturing at the others.

He proceeded to stand up and said, "For your… nest".

That was when it hit her. This garden he created, this safe haven, was created so that she could bring flowers back to her nest? Her… bed? Hoping that she got it right and finally understood, no matter how bizarre the idea seemed to her, she met his eyes and nodded her head, proceeding to move onto the next bed of flowers to pick some. Her actions, no matter how weird seemed to be worth it though because her picking the flowers and intending to bring it back to their… nest… brought the largest smile to his face.

Hey, guys! What do you think will happen next in their story? Also, what do you think of the New SPecies? Would you jump head long into a relationship with one if Leo had captured you instead of Sara? I know I would! He's too much of a sweetheart to give up 3. Also, this is crazy! I was short just 50 words to getting to 3,000 for this chapter


	16. Chapter 15

Leo stared at Sara as she picked flowers intended for her nest. _Miiiineeeee_ , his beast rumbled in his chest. _Miiine_. He couldn't help but agree with the monster. Sara was his. Is his. Will forever continue to be his.

He knew from the moment that he met her that they were meant to be together. The exact moment. He did not have to look upon her face or her body to understand this. For his beast to claim her. Her scent was enough. When he was gifted the beauty of her viasage, his heart swelled and that was when he accepted his afte of being bound to her for eternity.

Truly, the moment he met her it reminded him of his romance novels. Although he was not a dashing prince or warrior, his strength and heart were that of both. He belived in soul mates and knew that they were meant to be. Still though, when he was resolutely ready to let her go and free her from him, he hadn't been to certain if destiny would work out. She was his but that did not mean that they would live and love together.

His beast howled mournfully at the memories of leaving their mate and Leo caught himself unconsciously rubbing at the center of his bare chest trying to relive the sharp ache present there.

At that moment his Sara chose to look up. He was taken aback by her beauty and grace once more. Exactly like he had when he first met her. Her brown eyes shined at him with wonderment and pure joy, her smile causing her mouth to twist up at the sides in a delightful display of her happiness.

IN that moment, Leo was not sure what brought on the thought, but he imagined his beautiful Sara's petite body rounded with their young. Her heart-shaped face would be more filled out and her body would be glowing with beauty and vitality. He groaned silently, his cock instantly hard. However, that was not what drew his attention. What held his attention was the fact that all offspring of New Species looked exact replicas of their fathers. Their poor child would have a tail and a flat nose. He would have animal-like eyes and nothing of his mother. The thought of the child looking exactly like him did not cause repulsion but rather sadness. His child would have his mother's love but none of her features. None of her beauty and grace and her stunning brown eyes.

He closed his eyes momentarily, mourning the lack of likness his child would bare toward his mother. He did not want to appear weak infront of Sara and therefore willed his pained, crunched-up facial expression into one that he hoped was neutrality and opened his eyes once more.

When he opened them, his spotted his Sara standing just a few feet from him, her arms filled with varying colors of flowers with her signature bright smile in place. At the look of pure joy plastered in her facial expression, Leo could not help but lose himself in her joy. He too smiled.

Leo lifted his hand out toward his Sara but then realized that it was a mistake given that her arms were full of flowers from her nest. He took a second for himself to redirect his thoughts away from their nest and mating bed and quickly gave up given the fact that they would soon be in that exact space.

He opened his eyes and took the one stride needed to reach out to his mate and once he was in front of her, he lifted her into his arms. Leo marveled at the small size of her and how little she weighed. It should not have come as a shock to him since it was no the first time she had been in his arms, however, the thought of her pregnant must have made him subconsciously worry about her size.

 _No need to worry_ , he thought to himself while heading out of the meadow and toward his home _, my Sara, my mate, is a fighter._

 _Hey guys! I know that this one is short but I find that it is easier to write short sections and post them quickly (a few days apart) as opposed to long sections and it taking me a few weeks to post a longer section. I am not sure when I will post next because the next part should be long but I'm hoping within the next week since I already started it!_

 _Sneak Peek of the Next Chapter: Nest, food, and the bi *cough* making love really since this is Leo, the gentle romantic, we are talking about *cough*_


	17. Chapter 16

Part 1

Sara loved the attention that Leo always payed her. Everywhere she went, everything she did, she always caught Leo watching her with a reverent expression. The kind that made a woman feel like a woman. The kind that made her feel loved. Now was not an exception. As she walked back into his home, she could see him out of the corner of her eye staring at her profile. Seemingly entranced by her face for whatever reason.

Trying not to dwell on the fact that his eyes hadn't moved from her face since they began their walk. Now she tried to focus on his home again. Taking a look around, she was struck anew by the fact that his home was so sparse. However, it seems that they gathered enough flowers and objects from outside to fill the small space up. Perhaps they will serve to make it more homey and less dreary by adding color and life.

Leo led her to the bed and started setting the flowers and rocks that they collected on the pillows, the edge of the bed, and all around the small cabin. As he did so, the room started to become more vibrant and beautiful. No longer where there dreary greys and earthy browns, now the cabin was filled with bright oranges, pinks, reds, and green. The sight was beyond gorgeous. Not because of the colors and the greenery, but rather because of the effort that Leo appeared to put in in order to make the cabin more hers.

"Leo", Sara called out gently.

Leo swiftly turned to her with a handsome sedated smile playing across his face. He then began striding over to her, the handsome smile turning to a look of worry on his slightly odd but still beautiful face.

When he took the remaining step to close the distance between them, he reached his right hand up and splayed it across her back, his warmth seeping in and the rough pads of his hand causing tingles to run down her spine. She placed her much smaller, frailer one on top of his and dipped her chin down, still holding his eyes with hers, and nuzzled his hand with her cheek.

"My… Sara?", Leo asked in his halting, slightly rough voice. HIs eyes holding hers and fervently searching her face for an answer to why she called for him as though he were worried for her safety or emotional state.

"Leo, it's beautiful. Thank you", she whispered to him, not quite understanding completely why he needed to give her a nest and why it was so important to him, but knowing that she needed to acknowledge his efforts and his love for her.

When the sound reached Leo's ears he began to smile widely, completely pleased with himself that not only did she have a nest but that she took pleasure in the things that he provided for her. Her thanking him called upon his greatest instincts: the need to satiate his mate. It made him feel good that she was happy. Really good.

Instead of telling her _of course_ , or _you're welcome,_ Leo simply reached up with his left hand and brushed her velvet soft hair away from her face. It was an intimate gesture but it came as naturally as breathing to him.

An idea suddenly stuck him, food. His mate needed food and he would provide again for her.

Part 2

Leo watched his Sara polish off her meal. The idea that he was able to provide for her and that she enjoyed the food that he made filled him with a kind of satisfaction he never expected to feel.

When he first led her back to their home, he lifted her up and sat her down on the counter next to the fridge. He checked the fridge and had been filled with panic when he remembered that he had not been in his home for over a week and therefore did not have groceries in order to make his mate food. Luckily for him, Justice must have thought ahead and had some New Species stock his fridge and pantry before they came home.

He had never been a good cook but he felt like a master chef and had the concentration of an olympic athlete determine to win gold while preparing her food. After thirty minutes, he was able to produce a four egg omelet, two pieces of buttered toast, and a peeled orange for her dinner.

Now that she finished, Leo grabbed her plate and deposited it in the sink while taking a moment to also refill her cup with water because after the arduous exhausting plans that he had for the next few hours, he knew that she would be thirsty. At that thought, his cock began to harden and lengthen down the side of his leg.

Rather than adjust his painful erection, he chose to leave it be so that his Sara would be able to see how much he wanted her. _Oh yes_ , his beast purred, _my mate will know exactly how much I want her._

Part 3

Sara immediately felt the change in the air. ONe moment Leo had been taking care of her plate and the next, the air was filled heavy with tension and sex.

She watched as her male turned around and presented his long, and painfully thick cock to her, the material of his pants stretched tought over his beyond impressive length. For that split second that she stood there, she could feel her blood pressure rise and her sex grow wet with anticipation. The next second, she was encased in her male. He surrounded her completely, lifting her off of the counter and wrapping her legs around her hips, her sex falling in-line exactly with his raging cock. She immediately wrapped her arms around is shoulders and dug her nails into his scalp, her head falling back on her shoulders, her hips arching into his sex, and a moan leaving her lips.

At the feel of his Sara arching and rubbing against his cock, Leo almost exploded with arousal, almost climaxed on the spot. When she moaned her enjoyment at his touch, he could not help but buck his hips against hers and seek further pleasure. _Mine, mine, mine, mine_ , he chanted in his head. _Mine_ , his beast growled lowly. _Mine_.

Leo made quick work of walking them over to his bed, each step and flex of his muscles playing a mixture of pure heaven and pure torture on his cock. Seeing his Sara's nest laid out among the sheets made him even more wild. This is where their children would be created. This is where they would make love.

At that, Leo placed one knee on the bed, carefully balancing his gyrating mate on the duvet, and joined her. He placed both arms on their nest next to her head and bent them at ninety degree angles, allowing his balanced to be braced next to her and freeing up space for his hips to work against hers. He rubbed and bucked and swiveled his hips over her, paying acute attention to her moans and whimpers of pleasure to maximize her arousal knowing that she would need to be soaked in order to take him. All the while trying not to come at the overwhelming and beautiful scent of his mates arousal.

Sara had no idea what was going on. All she knew was that she was acting wantonly and overcome with so much pleasure that she couldn't tell up from down and light from dark. All she could recognize was her mate giving her pleasure beyond her beliefs.

Kisses started began pepper kisses along her brow and she opened her eyes to the stunning and unique face of her Leo. His eyes glazed with lust and face coated in a fine sheet of sweat.

He kissed down her nose to her lips and licked almont the seam of them, purring in contentment and arousal.

He then moved to her neck and began to lick along the side along the cords in her neck while also reaching down to gently fondle her breasts. Each nip and scrape of teeth and soothing caress of his rough tongue sent shivers of desire running through her body and spears of pleasure down her spine. She felt a buildup at the base of her spine and her pussy began to clench and pulse around nothing. SHe came apart while he sucked at her back and cried out at the emptiness within her.

"I need you", she panted, unable to keep her eyes open anymore at the pleasure, "I need you inside me. Right now. Right now, Leo"

She heard an answering growl and was rewarded by the feeling of her pants being unzipped and and her shirt being stripped from her body. Sara felt Leo's nose being placed along her thong-covered sex and heard a deep inhalation from his chest. A piercing roar left his throat. The next thing she knew, she felt a thick, hot tongue run up the seam of her pussy and she came apart once more, this time calling out her male's name over and over again.

Leo couldn't help but pump his hips and his naked cock against the duvet when his mate began to once more come. He worked quickly to remove her underwear and once his mouth was no longer hindered, he plunged his tongue deep into her core and began to drink her release down. The taste of his mate's arousal hit the back of his throat and he had to reach down to the base of his cock to stop the come that was threatening to violently release from his cock.

He couldn't wait anymore.

Another second and he would come everywhere.

He had to be inside of his mate.

Leo reared up from his position at her sex and was reluctant to leave the taste of her.

 _She will feel better wrapped around our cock_ , his beast whispered in his ear.

Leo quickly arranged his body so that their hips were allied and he wrapped his strong arms around his exhausted and tiny, human mate, gathering her against his chest and tucking her head against his heart.

Leo nudged his erection forward and slipped the tip of his cock into her entrance, ebing as careful as he could at the moment, his animal nature threatening to take over.

Her warmth surrounded him and her tightness threatened to squeeze the life out of his cock, the pleasure bordering on pain. He pushed forward again, able to slip through because of her extreme state of arousal, until he hit her woman's hood. When the tip of his cock nudged her barrier, he made the decision to power through and seat himself completely in her sex. He thrusted forward completely overcome by desire and wanting to fuck her to oblivion and when he began to retreat so that he could slam back into her, his little mate made a small, pain-filled mewl. That sound brought him up short. It cleared some of the haze that covered his mind from the sheer pleasure and warmth of her and brought her back to the present.

His beast purred back to his little mate and kissed her temple, rumbling against her to reassure her in her time of need. At the same time, his right hand reached down to find the bundle of nerves that he read about in his romance novels and began to gently fondle it, stroking around the sensitive nub in circles and gently building up the arousal that she once felt for him until she began to let out mewls of pleasure and began to buck her hips again.

Knowing that he would not last very long, he built up the pressure until she was on the verge of coming and then he pulled almost all of the way out of her, while still stroking her clit, and then slammed back into her once, twice, three times, and then froze coming apart at the feel of her walls pulsing and strangling his cock while she came around it.

Mine", he roarded to his mate. "MINE!"

"Yours!", Sara echoed, encouraging him, "Yours, Leo. Yours!"

They made love another four times until Leo felt that his delicate mate could not take his ministrations anymore, her eyes barely able to stay open to keep contact with him while he made love to her.

Now they laid in their nest, surrounded by the scent of their love-making and by evidence of his love for his mate.

Leo gazed at his mates sweaty, red face and well-loved body, pausing to stare at her slightly rounded and soft stomach. He reached a large hand down to cover her lower belly and imagined their child already growing there.

"Mine", he uttered before he too succumbed to sleep.

Hey, guys! What did you think of this chapter? Please leave a comment and let me know! 3


	18. Chapter 165

Sarah woke up to the sound of purring. Deep, rumbling, joy and contentment-filled purring. Instantly she knew that it was her loving lion species mate. Leo. Her mate.

Not only was she greeted with the sound of purring, she also awoke to a strong warm body enhancing her much smaller one in its arms and legs. Waking up to such a thing was bliss to her senses. Nothing could have felt better in the moment.

Well… maybe not nothing. She could think of one other thing that might be better than waking up to her loving mate. Perhaps making love with him would have to take first.

"Sara", Leo rumbled to her, gently unhooking one arm form around her boy in order to gently brush her hair from her face and back into place.

With that action, Sara's eyes opened up and she tilted her head up to look into her mate's golden cat-like eyes. She smiled at the sated look that she spied in them and reached for his hand. Once she grabbed it, she gently pulled it toward her mouth and placed a kiss in the center of his warm palm. Then she moved up to the pad of his thumb, forefinger, middle, ring, and finally pinky, pressing kisses to each of the rough sections that served to prove how different he was from her. She brought his hand to her face and curved her cheek into the palm, burrowing her face into his rough hands. Making an effort to without words, show that she loved him despite their differences. Masking an effort to show him that his differences made him special. Making an effort to do so without words since he rarely had them and yet was constantly able to demonstrate his unending love without them.

I love you, her touch spoke of. I trust you, it demonstrated. I care, it showed.

Hey, guys! This isn't a chapter (I'm currently working on the next one) but I felt like this part of their story needed to be told. I also felt that if I made this scene longer it would get rid of the purpose of it. The whole point is that Sara accepts Leo for exactly who he is. Even if he doesn't speak, isn't the same as her, and has had different experiences in life thus-far. I wanted to keep this chapter short and sweet to stick with the theme of the idea that neither need ords to demonstrate their love and devotion.

I'll have the next chapter out soon but after that I might start posting less frequently because I start up college again. However, do not be alarmed because I am definitely not quitting on this story and once their story is told, others will get their chance too.


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